Ribbon in the Sky
by ladyofshalott19
Summary: Nearly ten years have passed since Sarah defeated the Labyrinth. But now, she returns to the Underground at the behest of the Seelie King. She discovers, yet again, that things are not what they seem, even Goblin Kings. S&J because of course.
1. Chapter 0

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but thanks for thinking that I might. _

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><p>Prologue<p>

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><p>In a place nearly forgotten by humans was an enchanted land inhabited by magical creatures great and small. This enchanted land is ruled by the powerful and magical beings known to humans as the Fae. The Fae divide themselves into two powerful Courts: Seelie and Unseelie. Although the Fae rule both Courts, many creatures reside within the boundaries of the Seelie Court including pixies, dwarves, and brownies. The Faerie Courts are the chief social structures of Fae society. Each court is ruled by a hereditary monarchy. The Seelie Court is believed to be more benevolent toward humans and is known to only attack others who have slighted them. Being that they are Fae, regardless of the Court they belong to, they are prone to mischief despite their sympathetic reputation. The most common time of day to see them in the human world is sunrise and sunset. The malicious and more <em>malevolent<em>creatures, including imps, draugrs, and the dark faes, reside in the Unseelie Court. The slaugh, a group of Unseelie that cross the human plane at night, are known to mentally or physically assault travelers and are considered the most fearsome in the Court. Those associated with the Unseelie Court are said to attack without provocation and, some believe, just for the joy of tormenting others.

There are, of course, those who swear no allegiance to any Court, they are known as Solitaries. Many Solitaries have been banished from their homes or kingdoms for a variety of reasons. Others simply refuse to be a part of either Court or chose a life of exile. Not many regret their decision of being essentially court-less when they settle in the kingdom of the Solitaries. Although the Seelie Courts view the Solitaries as untrustworthy and potentially dangerous, the Solitaries are more likely to be neutral towards both Courts. In the past, living a life as a Solitary was hard and brutish in some respects, lacking the societal protection that comes with being a member of the Courts. However, over two millenniums ago, a kingdom arose that loosely united the Solitaries. Headed by a monarch, presently ruled by the King of the Goblins, a Solitary may seek out permanent refuge in the kingdom, building a new life for itself. Since they can more freely find ways of interacting with other creatures, Solitaries are often intermediaries for the fae and human worlds. Because of this special connection to humans, the Solitaries and their kingdom are allowed their peaceful neutrality with the Seelie and Unseelie Courts.

Currently, the Seelie Court is ruled by the great Fae King and Queen, Oberon and Titania. Both monarchs are descended from a long lineage of Seelie nobility. Even though the Court contains a multitude of smaller kingdoms (Elves, Dwarfs, Pixies, Centaurs, and Trolls), no one, nobility or otherwise, would dare go against the King and his Queen. King Oberon is known as a harsh, short-tempered, jealous, yet lecherous Fae. Rumors were constant around the Court regarding whether a certain Duke or Baroness was the illegitimate sire of the King. Such rumors were rarely said out loud if one would like to keep his head or not call the palace dungeon their permanent residence. Most wives would garner some sympathy from being bonded to such a husband. Most wives were not Titania. No queen, even the Queen of the Faes, would risk her life and reputation on extramarital affairs. Unfortunately for everyone, Titania had a habit of unleashing her unhappiness on those around her. Anyone who dared look her in the eyes might find his or her face being magically grounded into the floor. If one forgot to address Titania by her proper title, one might spend some time in the castle dungeons. Why would Seelie Court subjects tolerate such behavior?

When it comes to politics and ruling, not all rumors are bad rumors, and the public will tolerate many things as long as they feel protected by their government. All nobility, whether minor like the Fae king of the Land of the Dwarves or the High King and Queen themselves, are considered immensely powerful over the regular denizen. But Oberon is widely believed to be the most powerful, and that is why he could hold such power over other magical creatures. There is only one way to prove whether or not this was true, and no one was foolish to attempt a coup. Another way to prevent an uprising among the citizenry is basic: keep them happy. Since most of the Seelie Court never cross paths with the Seelie King and Queen, most do not care about their actions. The Seelie Court has been enormously prosperous for millenniums, even prior to the reign of Oberon. The occasional war could not deter the Court from losing its allegiance to Oberon and his consort- no matter how _eccentric_ the couple was rumored to be.

The monarch in the Seelie Court that many occasionally wondered about was the only legitimate issue between Oberon and Titania. The progeny was kept away from nearly everyone, even the King and Queen- who usually found parenting to be a burden. The young monarch was privately tutored and ushered around by Muiriol, a middle aged ruddy woman from the human land of Éire. Muiriol treated the child like her own- making sure the child was sheltered from her parents' reprehensible actions.

Soon after the birth of the child, the Court was plagued with rumors of another great war between the Seelies and the Unseelies. The reasons behind the war rumors were numerous. Many believed that the present King of the Unseelies, Lochlan, had allowed his slaughs to run loose in the Seelie Kingdoms as well as in the human world, causing the deaths of many innocent creatures. Others postulated that the tenuous trade agreements that have been ongoing between the Seelies and Unseelies for the past century had crumbled, and war was an inevitable consequence. The more cynical thought that this was a power grab (either by Oberon, Lochlan, or both), and the Kings were using the prejudices that each Court had toward the other to propel their lands toward war to gain more land or, if possible, rid the world of the other. But, only a fool would voice these concerns out loud. As the rumors escalated, so did the raising of both Courts armies. The Solitary Kingdom, being neutral yet industrious, exported its precious metals to both Courts, caring not for ridiculous squabbles but also not wanting to waste the opportunity to further its own interest, as Solitaries are inclined to do.

Unfortunately for the Seelie King and Queen, many of the rumors of war involved an attempt to kidnap or murder their only heir. Although they are not attentive or loving parents, the King and Queen were not going to let their only legacy disappear. Not willing to take the chance that the rumors were groundless, the King approached his advisor and ordered that he find a way to protect the child until tensions cool between the kingdoms. The advisor found only one way to protect the child: the child would be made human and to live in the human world with no memories of this world. So, the king made it so and sent his only child to live in the human world until the time to be summoned back occurred.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for reading. Most of the story has been written. So, I'm pretty sure updates will come in weekly intervals.**

**Oh, and reviews would be nice... very nice indeed. **


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Still own nothing. It's quite sad really._

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

_I would rather be alone than watch you spinning that wheel for me_

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><p><em>Oompf. <em>

"Ugh. Could you help me?"

"No."

"Seriously, Sarah, these things are heavy."

"And? It's your stuff. Carry it out yourself. And, hurry up. I canceled two sessions so you could get this done. I'm not canceling another," Sarah said while running her hands through her long, wavy brown hair.

Having a (_now ex)_ boyfriend of two and a half years move out while she was forced to be in her once shared apartment is not the most ideal way Sarah Williams imagined spend her afternoon, but there she was: passively watching her ex move his boxes out as she sat on her couch, drinking tea, double-checking her lesson plans, and avoiding making eye contact at all cost. Pretending things are not actually happening may not be an effective way to go through life, but right then, Sarah believed this approach to be the best.

_Might as well be as comfortable as possible_, she thought.

A wise person once said that breaking up is hard to do. While that sentiment may always be true, ending a relationship is a little easier when one catches her once beloved partner tongue wrestling with a woman who is not her. Funny, how Sarah would catch Dylan in such a predicament. Sarah could never be accused as the stalking, untrustworthy girlfriend. But when a girls' night out turns into a discovery of a betrayal of trust and love, the "breaking up" part of the relationship might actually have been easier.

"This would go a lot faster if you would help," Dylan Pearson gritted out as he moved yet another box to the front door.

"First, I just bought these jeans and shirt. I don't want to get them dirty. Second, maybe you should have asked some of your friends to help you since you visited them almost every night. Oh, wait," Sarah said in feigned ignorance while still avoiding eye contact. "There were no friends. It was Rachel. You should have her help move your stuff out while I finish reading," she wryly added, while her green eyes flashed with mirth.

"As if you would allow her to step foot in here," Dylan rasped out, dropping a large box near the front door.

"If it meant getting your crap out of here faster," she said, not even looking up from her piano notebook, "then, yes, I would like her over here. It's been two months, Dylan. The fact that I still kept your things here and didn't throw them in the garbage is a credit to my parents." Finally looking up from her book, she said, "you should send them a thank you card about how you don't have to buy new action figures."

Her remarks caused nothing more than an eye roll from Dylan, and the room returned to its awkward silence that Sarah wished would last until he was gone forever.

Two cups of tea and three tedious hours later, Sarah looked up from her lesson plans to notice that all the boxes that had littered the front of the apartment were now gone, and all that was left was her ex, standing on the outside of the threshold of the apartment, keys in hand, shifting his feet as though trying to delay the inevitable.

_You know you brought this on yourself, right? _

Letting out a heavy sigh to prevent herself from saying something too terse, she stood up and walked toward Dylan, hand outstretched to receive her house keys.

"So… are you going to give me my keys or am I going to have to call management?" she questioned, looking him straight in the eyes

"Look, Sarah. I'm sorry that it had to end this way. But, I just wanted to say that it was fun, you know, what we had for the past few years," he mostly mumbled toward the ground.

And the walls.

And even the windows.

Everywhere but at Sarah's face, a fact that she found most amusing. She summoned up that bothersome teenager who loved to act out every mundane detail of life in order to keep her face sober rather than convey sheer enjoyment by the weird theatrics that Dylan decided to put himself through.

Sarah thought of what to say in response: _I could be all maudlin and tell him "we just weren't meant to be" or "Good luck in your next journey in life." Nope, _she thought, _no one has time for that nonsense._

She grabbed the keys from Dylan, coolly shrugged her shoulders, and let out a bored, "Eh." She shut the door in his face, engaged the locks, and went to her lesson plan.

Honestly, she just had better things to do. And he was being SO slow. It is amazing how easily a person can get over an ex, even a cheating ex, when you are forced to stare at his crap for two months. But here she was: no tears, no staring blankly at the ceiling, and no thoughts of what could have been. That performance was two months ago and if Dylan wanted to see it, he should have been there. But he wasn't and now he isn't there at all.

"Hmmm…" she thought out loud. "Look at all this space I have. I could buy more yoga gear." _And then not use it_, her traitorous mind told her. Always a buzzkill.

Living in downtown Seattle was not where Sarah Williams thought her life would go, but that's how it goes when your expectations run up against reality.

Shortly after her, what her parents would call, "abrupt about-face" when she was 16, Sarah decided to quit her acting and threw herself into her studies and, for an extra-curricular activity, picked up piano. Surprising herself and all the adults around her, she had been a natural. No one knew why she was able to play the piano with such ease and professionalism with no previous lessons. But as people who say weird things say: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

A scholarship from Julliard was the best thing to happen to 18 year old Sarah and also to her 47 year old father. For a financially aware, overly concerned parent, everything was perfect: no need to worry about expensive tuition fees, his only daughter was only an hour and a half away, and was no tuition fees mentioned? At twenty-two, Sarah graduated from Julliard with a Bachelor of Music in Piano (yes, it's a real thing, she would tell her high school friends) and immediately left the Big Apple. It is not as though she hated her time in Manhattan, but some people are not meant to live there forever. Sometimes, people just feel the need to move. Much to the chagrin of her father, she moved clear across the country to the State of Washington. Rain never bothered Sarah much anyway…not, really.

Obtaining a job at a Seattle private high school as a music teacher was surprisingly easy for a Julliard graduate. Things were going well the first day she worked there, or so she thought, especially since she had met Dylan the first day the teachers returned to school before the students. He'd been (and still was) one of the Mathematics teachers. To Sarah, he'd seemed sweet, nice, and considerate. One has to be to teach a subject like Maths high school kids, right? Sarah may have some issues with reading people. Don't worry; she's working on it.

Unfortunately, teaching a few hundred students a day was not peaceful. Shortly after working at the school, she decided to privately tutor a few students after school for extra cash. Nevertheless, normal school course planning and private tutoring were not working out. She felt overwhelmed doing both, and, to be honest, that many kids was irritating. Bailing on her school job a year after being hired, Sarah was able to set up private piano tutoring classes in her spacious apartment. Apparently, her name (and degree recognition) spread quickly, and parent after overambitious parent dragged their electronic loving child to her in hopes that she trained the next Bach.

Speaking of the next Bach, Sarah noticed the clock read 6:21pm. _Dammit. Forty-nine minutes until the prized terror and his criminally oblivious mother arrive. I might need a drink. _

Walking past her bookshelf to grab her piano books for her upcoming lesson, Sarah's eyes caught the worn red binding that she stowed away in the corner of her shelf. Dylan never appreciated fantasy. Actually, he never really appreciated reading at all. _Why was I with him again?_

Grabbing the book, she sat on her decorative ottoman against the wall, slowly flipping through the pages. She was not reading the book and did not even want to. Turning page after page caused her to relive her time in the Labyrinth like an old timey motion picture. Sarah never forgot her time in the Underground. How could she? A sixteen year old making a selfish wish that caused her to go up against a powerful king and his kingdom to win back her now beloved brother. That is not something that happens every day.

She also never forgot her friends: the valiant knight and his steed, the orange, loveable, giant beast, and the cowardly, but friend-to-the-end dwarf. Sarah tried for years to contact them through the vanity mirror in her room. She even tried mirrors in cars, dressing rooms, and reflective glass on corporate buildings. Her step-mother and brother had been starting to give her funny looks. Much to her step-mother's incredulity, Sarah insisted her parents keep her vanity in the attic. She even went so far as to look for owls in the daylight and goblin shadows in the corners. Anything to confirm that what she experienced was not a dream, that she was not going crazy. But even as the years of silence from this magical world began to drone on, she decided that regardless of the lack of evidence of its existence, she was convinced that it was real. It was her secret and hers alone.

Sarah also never forgot the bewildering Goblin King, either. Who could, really? The hair alone would be imprinted on anyone who dared laid eyes on it. There was something enigmatic about the king of the goblins. Of course, only thirteen hours to solve a giant maze does not give someone enough time to analyze another person's- erm, magical creature's- personality. But of all the thoughts and feelings that Sarah experienced while running the maze, the feeling of forgetting was the most prominent. Never was it stronger than when she was dropped in the trash heap. Nevertheless, she always felt like something was amiss. Why was she hassled with that thought throughout her trek, and why was it most pronounced when the Goblin King was around? Though she had tried to figure out what caused that feeling, she'd yet to find out what it was, even though that subtle feeling had yet to go away.

Once and only once, she thought about explicitly calling for the Goblin King so he would explain why she no longer had access to her friends, to explain her constant feeling of forgetfulness. She'd been in college, and she may have still had those demanding teenage traits back then. _He has to come when called, _she thought back then. _Right? That's how it must work._ But she decided against it. Sarah had quickly analyzed her Labyrinth experience once she returned home. All of it was her fault. It truly was. Well, maybe not the near miss with the Bog of Stench, that hadn't been nice at all. However, she learned her lesson. But that doesn't mean the Goblin King felt the same. She had no idea who he really was. If she summoned him back into her life, what would happen then? Would they come to some sort of an adult understanding or would he haunt her days forever? He did have magic, and she did not. If a fight broke out, it would not be a fair fight. For some unknown reason, he couldn't or wouldn't visit her. There is a thin line between bravery and stupidity, and Sarah didn't want to go anywhere near that line. So, she compartmentalized the Labyrinth in her thoughts and emotions. She would find a way to meet her friends again. Someday, she would see them again. She would never forget them. Even though she always felt like she was forgetting something about her time in the Labyrinth. She could just never remember what…

_**Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock**_

"Seriously? Only two knocks will do." Sarah stood up, placed her beloved red book back on the shelf, and gathered her piano books and lesson planner.

She walked to her piano and unceremoniously dropped the books on the piano bench. Gathering all the fake enthusiasm she could muster, Sarah moseyed her way to the door and opened it wide to greet her pupil.

"Landon and Mrs. Casey. How are you? Please come in."

"Good evening, Sarah," Mrs. Casey replied while making a beeline straight for the couch.

Mrs. Casey's son, shoulders slumped, meandered his way over to the piano bench and plopped his body down without as much as a "hi" to Sarah. She'd only had Landon Casey as a piano student for a month, and so far, that was becoming a month too long. He was the most disorderly ten year old she ever met.

_Of course. I shouldn't expect any more from these two,_ Sarah thought.

"So," Sarah said while making her way over to the piano. "Were you able to finish the piece?"

Even though her voice portrayed a type of optimism not normally found in piano teachers overwhelmed with lazy students, she knew the answer to her question before the words left her mouth.

"No," said Landon, who found the floor to be the most amazing thing in the world.

The mega eye roll from Sarah could not be suppressed. Not that it mattered. Landon was too busy staring at the floor and his mother was too busy looking over a Pottery Barn catalogue.

_Deep breaths, Sarah. You can do this. _

"Landon. Why could you not finish the piece?" Sarah asked evenly.

"It's just too hard," he replied, not even trying to convince his teacher that he wasn't.

Sarah, trying to be as patient as she could be, said, "You've been saying that for the past three weeks. You said it was too hard the first week. So for the past two weeks, we practiced the treble and bass clefs separately. You seemed to be doing fine with them separately. All that was left was putting the two together."

"Oh, Sarah," piped up Mrs. Casey. "He hasn't been able to practice his cords for the past several weeks. With all the trips we've been taking this summer, it has just been terribly difficult for Landon to focus on his piano."

Mrs. Casey, now too busy to look at Sarah because her manicure needed attention tout suite, was never short on excuses to hand over on behalf of her indolent offspring.

_Why pay for lessons if you don't ensure that he actually practices something!_

Not even five minutes into the lesson, and Landon already had Sarah rubbing her temples, wishing she bought some Excedrin earlier in the week.

_Last lesson and then vacation. Just remember that, Sarah. _

Piping up again and still refusing to be quiet, Mrs. Casey offered, "Why don't you just play the music for him like all the other times. That method seemed to work well then. Just do that again, Sarah."

"No offense Mrs. Casey, but he's had three weeks to be able to play this music properly… and… Landon, switch me spots," Sarah said. She had an idea of what was going on here.

Landon moved over to her chair next to the piano, and Sarah situated herself on the piano bench. He'd always been able to play the music when she immediately played it for him…. _Let's see if I'm right on this. _

The music selection for Landon's lesson was one of Sarah's favorites. In fact, most of her students, even the more vexing ones, seemed to like it. She loved the music and words, and most of her students loved that it was simple. Others liked to brag that they were able to play Tchaikovsky, as though they had been turned into concert pianists.

Sarah played the song as asked, but a bit slower than the music styling dictated. Sarah had a habit of singing along with the songs that had lyrics, and why not? It gave life to music and usually made her pupils more interested in song.

_**I know you. I walked with you once upon a dream**_

_**I know you. The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a-gleam**_

_**Yet I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem**_

_**But if I know you, I know what you do**_

_**You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream**_

While Sarah was playing, she noticed Landon staring at her hands. When she finished, she had him switch seats with her.

"Okay, Landon. Try playing now."

"Um… okay."

Landon proceeded to play the piece. And he played it perfectly. Well, that might have been a bit hyperbolic, but he played it well. A few blips but nothing atrocious. It's almost as though he….

"Do you memorize my hand movements when I play and just copy what you see?" Sarah asked.

"Umm…maybe, possibly." Landon said who now had the decency and self-awareness to be embarrassed by his actions.

"Oh, Sarah." _Mrs. Casey really should stop talking_, Sarah thought. "Landon was having trouble memorizing the notes and symbols and such. So, I old him to just memorize your hand movements." Oh, look. Mrs. Casey was actually looking at Sarah with a smile so artificially sweet, Sarah could have sworn the woman could give people cavities.

The headache developing at the back of Sarah's head became a full-blown migraine with bright lights and all.

"Excuse me?" Sarah now did not care whether her frustration was becoming blatantly apparent. She turned in her chair to fully eye the overly indulgent woman on her couch.

Mrs. Casey seemed taken aback by the shift in Sarah's tone. "Well, I don't understand the problem. All that matters is that he can play the music piece, right? And he just showed you that he can play it. So move on with the next piece already."

"No. That's not the point of these lessons at all or any lessons. The point is that he learns how to read music, which is basically another language, and be able to apply that to any piece of music he reads." Sarah's temper was starting to rise to a boil. "If he just memorizes my hand motions, he will never learn to play independent of anyone else. If all you care about is that he memorizes hand motions, then have him look at videos on the computer. At least you will save yourself some money and my time!"

The laughing snort next to Sarah was not lost on her. Granted, if this was happening to someone else, she would find this quite comical as well. But it wasn't. This woman was allowing her son to slouch off week after week and just get by and, most importantly, waste Sarah's time. She could fill this time slot with someone who would actually apply him or herself and wanted to be here. Enough is enough.

_Deep breaths. Don't kill the woman._

"Mrs. Casey, I think it's time you find a new piano tutor for Landon. I don't believe I'm the best fit for how you think he should be taught." _Wow, _thought Sarah, _I sound like a real adult who doesn't want to strangle the person in front of me. Personal victory for me._

"Well", Mrs. Casey scoffed. "If you feel that way, I believe there is not much else we can do about that, now can we?"

Sarah noticed her reaching for her purse. "No, no. That won't be necessary. It hasn't even been twenty minutes, let alone an hour. No payment required," Sarah stated in her most business-like tone, one that she surely stole from her father. She leveled her gaze with Mrs. Casey, letting her know that she and her money could just go now.

As Sarah got up to open her door, Landon scrambled together his barely opened piano books and met his mother at the door. As the Caseys left through the threshold, Landon turned to say "sorry" in a quiet and sheepish manner that caused mild shock to register on Sarah's face.

"It's okay, Landon. Have a good night." With that, the Casey's walked down the hall and out of Sarah's life. _Thank goodness._ Leaning against her door, she tried her best to rub out her migraine.

Sarah looked toward on the adjacent wall to her right to check the time. Eight o'clock. "Damn it. I haven't even finished packing…or started for that matter." Since Spring Break was next week, she thought it would be a good time to visit her family in New York. It had been nearly a year and half since she'd made the trek over to the opposite coast. And if Sarah had to hear her step-mother complain one more time about how they always had to travel and Sarah never did, she would probably smash her phone against the nearest wall. And thanks to two cancellations the next day, Sarah had an extra day off. A few phone calls with the airline later and Sarah was able to change her flight plans and leave a day early. Not only was she flying over to stay with her family for the week, but she was also going to surprise them a day early.

There.

Karen should be thrilled. With all that in mind, Sarah moseyed her way to her bedroom to pack for her trip…with the distinct feeling that she was forgetting something.

Always forgetting something…


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Let me check... Nope, still own nothing. Just writing a story. _

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

_I'm coming home  
>I'm coming home<em>

_Tell the world I'm coming home_

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><p>Getting out of the cab and walking toward her parents' front door, Sarah couldn't help the smile that slowly crept across her face. She did not realize how good it would feel to be home. Making her way up the steps to the front door, she barely had enough time to reach for the key to the house when the door swung open and a pre-teen boy with sandy blond hair and large blue eyes stood before her.<p>

"Sarah!" Toby yelled as he barreled toward her, nearly knocking Sarah off her feet while administering a near death grip hug around her midsection, her back-length hair becoming an unwilling victim. The mini-tackle from Toby caused Sarah to drop her burlap messenger bag on the ground and topple her carry-on over.

"OH! Well… nice to see you too, Tobes." Sarah tried to return the hug but found that a problematic task since she was quickly running out of air and breathing room.

"I knew it was you," Toby said as he bent down to pick up his sister's bags. "I heard a car, and I knew it just had to be you coming up the driveway. Mom said you weren't going to be here until tomorrow."

"Yeah, well," Sarah said as she unhooked her brother from her waist. "I had an extra day off and thought I should surprise you with my wondrous presence. You should feel honored," she said with a faux air of importance.

"Oh, of course, your majesty," he said while rolling his eyes. "I am but your humble servant." Playing along, Toby gave a sweeping bow. Well the best he could while holding his sister's bags.

"Here. Let me have a bag. No reason for you to handle both of them."

Toby refused to release the bags and walked into the house instead. "Nope. I'm supposed to carry the bags. Mom says I'm supposed to be working on my manners…or whatever," he said over his shoulder.

While walking into the house, Sarah felt that all-too-familiar comfort that always occurred when she returned home. Karen was right, a year was really too long between visits. Funny, how a former teen who played in the park for hours reciting her plays was now an adult who missed the house that her adolescent self viewed as a cage. They say time heals all wounds. For Sarah, time also brings things into perspective. Trips to magical realms tend to do that to a person.

Viewing her stepmother as some sort of wicked witch had dissolved as Sarah aged. Sarah became less melodramatic and realized that, not only was everything not about her, but also that everything was not happening directly _to_ her. Sometimes, she finally recognized, situations happen, good or bad, and that does not mean that people are out to sabotage you. It was not Karen's fault that her mother passed away when Sarah was a baby, and it was not fair to ask her dad to be a single widower for the rest of his life. Furthermore, it was not Toby's fault that he could not stop crying that night or any night really. Babies cry, and they, too, are not out to get you.

Sarah still does not view Karen as her mother. Sarah had a mother, and she passed. However, Sarah and Karen's relationship could best be described as best friends who shared most things with each other. Still, Sarah knew better than to tell the woman married to her father everything about her life. And Toby, well, Toby is a precocious pre-teen who has yet to figure out that it is not cool to bear hug his sister and call her every other day. That day of reckoning will come, Sarah realized as she followed Toby to the living room, and she would not be ready for it. She'd come to appreciate that little boy more than her parents will ever know.

Speaking of little…

"Hey! When did you get so tall? I don't like this, you growing and all." Sarah leaned her hip against the off-white couch and crossing her arms.

"He's growing like a weed and eating everything in this house." Robert's voice came from behind Sarah.

Sarah spun around and her green eyes sparkled with mirth. "Dad! How are you? I didn't hear you come in." Sarah reached up to wrap her arms around her father's neck, giving Toby's tackle a run for its money.

Robert carefully unhooked his daughter's arms and cleared his throat. "I was in the study. I didn't hear anything until you guys came inside. Karen's upstairs doing something. I'm not quite sure, actually."

Right on cue, Karen came through door with open arms. "Sarah! We weren't expecting you until tomorrow." Sarah walked forward and allowed her stepmother to gather her in her arms.

"I just thought I would surprise everyone and arrive early. Did you get a haircut?" Over the past few years, Karen had allowed her hair to grow out. She finally became tired of her long tresses and cut her hair into a bob.

"Yes. I did. Nearly four months ago," Karen said, sounding slightly affronted. "These are the things you miss when you go so long without visits."

"Who wants to visit just to look at your hair?" Toby said with a mouth full of pretzels, standing behind everyone. Apparently, he was able to sneak out of the room to seize some snacks without looking. Boys are sneaky like that.

"Tobias Robert Williams!" Karen exclaimed. "No talking with food in your mouth. And you shouldn't be eating those now anyway."

"Yeah. At least without sharing," Sarah joined in while reaching for the pretzel bag, which earned her a blank stare from Karen and a poorly concealed chuckle/cough from Robert.

"Oh, Sarah. I do wish you would have called to say you were coming early," Karen said in an exaggerated manner.

"Why? What's going on?" Sarah asked with her mouth now full of pretzel.

"Honestly," Karen said, throwing her hands in the air. "You two. I don't know what I'm going to do for the next week with you both in this house."

Sarah wiped her hands on her jeans, earning her a full blown stink eye from Karen. Sarah, pretending she didn't notice Karen, reached over the back of the couch to grab her burlap messenger bag that Toby unceremoniously dropped off.

"So, what's happening here?" Karen enquired as she watched Sarah furiously rummage through her bag in search for something.

"Sarah? What are you doing?" Robert asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. _Did her bag turn into a black hole,_ he thought.

Snatching a medium-sized box from the clutches of her bag, Sarah held her arm up in mini-triumph. "Here. Finally, found it." She extended the box to Karen. "Open it."

Karen took the box from Sarah and carefully opened it. Slowly opened it, Toby thought. "What is it? What is it? What is it?" Toby demanded loudly.

"That's really unnecessary, Toby," Robert called from the kitchen.

"Oh, Sarah! It's so lovely." Karen gingerly held the blue-green, glass ring bowl in her hand.

"I saw you eyeing some of the blown glass items when you came to visit me. I thought I could take a stab in the dark and give you a little something. Anything bigger and I was afraid it would've been crushed in my bag," Sarah explained.

"It's beautiful, Sarah. Truly." Karen reached over and grabbed Sarah into a fierce hug.

Sarah did miss her family. The death grips, however, she could do with less of those.

"Okay. Okay. I didn't actually make it. Just bought it and stuck it in my bag."

"Speaking of your bag…" _Uh oh, _Sarah thought, trying hard not to roll her eyes. _Here she goes again._

Sarah has had her messenger bag for as long as she could remember. Her beloved taupe, burlap bag had a tree and a moon that sparkled like opal. When Sarah asked her father years ago where he got it, he claimed to have no idea. Sarah had always believed that it must have been her mother's, even though her father claimed to have never seen her mother with the bag. Nevertheless, Sarah has kept it with her always. Karen had been trying to make Sarah ditch her beloved bag ever since she turned eighteen. Bags like that are for kids and Sarah was now an adult in need of items more posh, according to Karen, at least.

"…How long have you had that thing? Seriously, it's older than Toby and looks the part." Karen spared a disgusted look toward the bag now draped over the arm of the couch.

"It's just a bag, Karen. Does it really matter how old it is? It still functions," Sarah explained, trying to make her stepmother drop the topic.

"If it's just a bag, why can't you get rid of it?"

"Karen…" Sarah plopped herself down on the couch, clutching her bag in case Karen attempted to grab and burn it in one fell swoop.

Robert, having heard the conversation in the kitchen, came gallantly walking into the room to save the day, or at least an impending headache for all.

"Hey! So… Sarah. What Karen was trying to bring up earlier is that we have a thing to take Toby to in the City."

"Thing? What kind of thing? All three of you?" Sarah tried hard not to sound outright astonished by the thought that all three members of her family would be going on an outing to New York City. The fact was that Karen rarely liked to do what Toby and Robert wanted to do, which is why Karen usually went out with friends while the boys had their fun.

"Yes. All three of us," Karen said in a distractedly bored tone. "Toby wanted to go to a ballgame for his birthday, but only wanted to go if I came along as well. So off I go."

"At a ballgame, eh?" Sarah turned to Toby, who was now sitting next to her on the couch, and looked him straight in the eye. "Toby, I'll give you ten bucks if you convince Karen to eat an entire basket of nachos," Sarah wagered.

"Sarah…" Karen was none too amused by her stepdaughter's antics.

Toby held out his hand for an agreement. "Twenty and you got yourself a deal."

"Toby, Sarah. I have no intention of eating that terrible stadium food. In fact, we are leaving early so we can get to Queens and have some Peruvian food. That's why I wished you had called to say that you were coming early. We could have gotten you an extra ticket."

"Don't worry about me, Karen. You guys can enjoy the day out. I'm kina tired from flying anyway. I wouldn't be able to stay awake during the game."

Toby interjected, "Our section is sold out. Sarah wouldn't be able to sit with us. What would be the point in having her sit far away?"

Karen hemmed and hawed as she made her way to sit down in the Queen Anne-style winged back chair adjacent the couch. "I just don't like leaving you behind, Sarah."

"It's fine. Really. I'll be here for an entire week. We can do things together then. Don't fuss over it. And if you aren't going to eat the nachos, eat the salted pretzel with cheese sauce." Sarah smiled as she pictured Karen eating anything that florescent in color.

Karen gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Oh just drop it, Sarah. I'm not going to eat that plastic cheese crap."

"All right, you two, it's nearly three. It's almost time to go. Get your things together, Toby," Robert said, strolling into the living room with a New York Mets hat that had clearly seen better days.

Sarah tried valiantly to suppress her laughter at the sight of her father. The man was clearly not a hat person. He could pull off a fedora only when he was decked out in his work suit and wool coat.

Robert walked over to the spot in the couch previously occupied by Toby. Karen could be heard in the background telling the young boy not to run. "What's so funny?" Robert asked, obviously knowing the source of his daughter's mirth.

"Why do you wear that? You know you look…" Sarah paused, trying to choose her words carefully. "That hat just looks out of place on you." Sarah casually flipped the bill of the hat upward causing the hat to sit slightly crooked on his head.

"Hey. Be nice. I've had this thing for as long as I can remember. It means a lot to me. Plus, baseball items are so expensive. There's no way I'm paying those prices."

Sarah shook her head in slight disbelief. Yes, money for a new baseball hat was surely too much money for a Manhattan-based corporate attorney with a stay at home wife. _But whatever_, Sarah thought. _That hat isn't on my head_.

"By the way," Robert continued. "Some point this week you should come to the city to meet me for lunch. We have a new associate attorney. He's young and single. Has a nice place in Chelsea. Not a teacher..."

Sarah placed her hands up in protest. "Oh no, you don't. You are not setting me up with someone you work with…"

Robert attempted to justify his actions. "Technically, he works under me…"

"That's worse! Nope. Just leave me alone. And for your information, there is nothing wrong with being a teacher. Dylan was just an asshole." Sarah crossed her arms and gave her father her best stiff upper lip.

"Yes. Well. I just don't want you to get hung up on what happened to you…"

"Dad," Sarah interposed. "It's been two months. I'm over it. I'm over him. Just promise me you won't try to set me up with some guys at the firm." Sarah gave Robert her best pleading eyes while grasping his upper arm. "I came here to hang out with you guys and relax. Nothing more."

Sarah went still immediately. _Where did that come from?_

Like angels sent from heaven to rescue Sarah from the excruciating mental tussle she was about to put herself through, Toby walked into the living room dressed in his jeans, player's jersey and ball cap, and a baseball mitt in one hand. Karen followed behind him, dressed in a maxi dress and a cardigan. Well, she was going, at least, and that's the most important thing.

"All right. Looks like you two are ready to go," Robert said while standing and making his way to the front door. Sarah followed behind Karen and Toby as they trailed behind Robert.

Karen turned around, looking more concerned than she should, at least to Sarah.

"Are you going to be okay, Sarah? Maybe you can come down with us to eat and go back when we head to the game," Karen offered.

Sarah slowly shook her head. "Karen, that doesn't make any sense. I've got money and a phone. When I get hungry, I'll just order myself some food. You know, I do live on my own most of the time."

"I know, I know," Karen said absentmindedly while slinging her purse over her shoulder. "I just wish you could come with us. Seems so wrong to leave you here."

_So much melodrama_, Sarah thought fondly.

_Honk Honk Hoooonk_

"I don't know if that's Dad or Toby, but you better go." Sarah opened her arms to give her stepmother a hug. For some reason, a hug seemed like something Karen needed. Karen then made her way out the door, toward the car. "I'll see you later tonight," Sarah called out, waving to her family while they slowly backed out of the driveway.

Sarah shut and locked the door. Her thoughts immediately turned to food. No. Sleep. _I should come up with a way to eat and sleep at the same time. _She turned and made her way back to the living room to take her bags upstairs. Clearly, her brother's manners training stopped on the first floor.

Sarah carefully lifted and carried her bag up the stars, lest she scuff the stairs and receive the all-feared ire of Karen. Walking into her room after a year, a lesser person would expect dust to fly into Sarah's face. However, Karen's OCD for cleaning was always considered an asset whenever Sarah came home. Her room was always clean and dust-free on arrival.

A vanity-free room is not the only thing that greeted her. Not only did she pack away her vanity years ago, but also all her toys and posters. Or, as Karen would say, juvenile items. Sarah could only put them in storage in the attic. Even at her stepmother's insistence, Sarah could not bear to truly give those things away. However, she could not tolerate seeing those items anymore after she came to the realization that she could no longer contact that other world. Yet, there were two things that Sarah could not place into storage, but took with her whenever she left home: Lancelot and the red book that started it all, The Labyrinth. Even now, at twenty-five, she still has the stuffed bear and the book in her burlap bag. Toby kept Lancelot for several years until he decided that only girls play with stuffed animals. Since then, Lancelot had been by Sarah's side. As much as Sarah would like to sell or, frankly, bury, the red book, she could not bring herself to part with the tome. If someone, like Karen, asked her why, she would just say "Because." Maybe because, just like her burlap bag, Sarah always believed that these three items came from her mother. As always, Robert denied the fact that these belongings were once her deceased mother's, but to Sarah, it does not really hurt anyone to think of this as truth. So, why not go with it?

The knick-knacks and posters on the wall have been replaced with a cool, blue paint color and framed family pictures, the colorful bedspread replaced with a white, cottony comforter. Sarah ungracefully dropped her bags on the floor. She decided that sleep beats food any day and unceremoniously fell face first onto her comforter, content for the time being to dream of food rather than eat it.

Four hours later, Sarah woke up to the little light available from the setting sun and a stomach ready to eat the first thing her eyes laid on. Rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms out, Sarah hoisted herself out of bed and straightened her dark blue jeans and grey t-shirt, _for absolutely no one in particular_, Sarah groggily realized. Sarah shuffled her way out of her room and down the stairs into the kitchen. Recognizing that she was losing light fast, she turned on the lights to the kitchen. She recognized quickly that cooking is for suckers and grabbed the first Chinese takeout menu tacked to the refrigerator door. "Mayflower Chinese Restaurant," she wondered aloud while reaching for handset. "What does the Mayflower have to do with Chinese food? Whatever. Hope this place is decent."

After ordering nearly half the menu, Sarah took the phone back to the charging stand. Upon placing the phone in the stand, the power in the kitchen went out. _No_, Sarah thought. _The power in the entire house is out. _The ever-present night light in the living room was gone. She took a few steps to the window and noticed two things: the neighbors' lights were still working and the sun had completely set. _What the…_

"Princess Sarah?" spoke a male voice in a heavily lilted voice from behind Sarah.

Sarah's back went rigid. Slowly turning, she saw two men, made of light. No… surrounded by light? Wait… are they making their own light. The light coming from the direction of the two men engulfed the large kitchen, allowing Sarah to see them fully. Both were fairly tall. Extremely and unnaturally pale. One with brown eyes and the other with amber and dark, long, sleek hair that was fashioned in a half ponytail. Both were wearing black, knee-length boots, black trousers, and long, silvery gray tunics with woven belts tied around their midsections… with _**swords**_ fashioned to their sides. Enough with the attempt to remember enough details to eventually give the police. Sarah backed up one step, then two, and then let out a gut-wrenching scream. Immediately, her hands grasped at her throat. No sound was coming out.

The man with the amber eyes took two steps forward. Due to sheer terror from the loss of her voice and the appearance of men with swords, Sarah hurryingly walked backwards, tripped and landed against the wall. She was trying so hard to withhold the tears from coming. Alas, that was a battle she was barely winning.

_He's going to kill me, _Sarah sobbed inwardly. _The Goblin King sent them to kill me. The bastard couldn't even face me himself to do it. _Her darkest fears were about to come true.

The amber eyed man stopped after two steps at the sight of the near hysterical woman in front of him. "Please, peace, Your Highness. We mean you no ill will," the man said in a tone that almost made Sarah want to comply with his wishes.

"Our sincerest apologies, Princess, we did not mean to take away your ability to speak. We just could not risk your screams attracting attention from the outside realm," said the brown eyed man.

Attempting to speak in coherent thoughts, Sarah said the first thing that came to her mind: "What?" Her voice, she realized, had come back. "What are you talking about?" she asked slowly and calmly, trying not to risk losing her voice again. "Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house?" Confusion and anger rising within her, she slowly stood, the wall acting as a crutch for her back. _If they are going to kill me right away, I might as well get some answers. _

The two men shot each other a look. "Those are very involved and complicated questions," stated the amber eyed man. "You will have to come with us."

Sarah was flabbergasted. "What? No! No way. On what planet would I just go with some random dudes who broke into a house and have swords attached to their hip. Are you going to kill me? Did the Goblin King send you?" As each accusation poured out of Sarah's mouth, the louder and more accusatory she became. No longer was her back against the wall. Instead, she stood in front of both men with arms crossed over her chest, eyes darting back and forth from one man to the other, demanding to know what was going on.

The moment Sarah mentioned "The Goblin King," the two men's previously tranquil expression instantly became looks of disgust and revulsion.

The brown eyed man spoke first. "Dear Princess, why would you ever think that we would do the bidding of such a lout?"

_Heh. Looks like the Goblin King isn't very good at making friends_, Sarah wryly thought.

"We would never serve such a scoundrel. Your highness, we are here on assignment from the King and Queen of the Seelies, to bring you back home."

Feeling faint, Sarah reached back again for the wall behind her for support.

"I'm sorry. What?" Sarah felt herself thinking questions faster than she can verbally ask them. "King and Queen? Wait... you have been calling me 'Princess'. Why? Please tell me what is happening," she implored, her hands raised in the surrender position.

The two men looked at each other, gave each other a nod, and then turned back to Sarah.

"First," the amber eyed man started. "In our haste to bring you back, we have forgotten our manners and our place. My name is Eòran, armed guard of the Seelie Court." He gave a sweeping bow.

"And my name is Odhran, armed guard of the Seelie Court," said the brown eyed man announced with a bow, as well.

After several seconds, both men remained in the bowed position. Feeling incredibly awkward, Sarah said uncertainly, "Um. You may rise?"

Both men rose with genuine smiles on their face, causing Sarah to finally relax, a little, anyway.

Eòran cleared his throat to speak. "We do not know all of the details of what happened or how it happened. What we do know is that you are the exiled daughter of the King and Queen of the Seelie Faes, which of course would make you a Princess, the only heir to the Seelie Throne. You were sent here to escape war and the kidnapping plot by the Unseelie King."

Sarah held up her hand in protest. "Excuse me? How am I the daughter of Faes? I was born here. I was born and raised by humans."

Odhran took his turn in trying to make Sarah understand. "I am sorry, Your Highness, but we do not know how you were implanted into the human world. The King's head seer was in charge of the magic that allowed your escape. After the threats subsided, the search began for your return. We have been searching for the past six or seven earth years…"

"Huh? Don't you fae people have magic? Why was it so hard to find me?" Sarah asked with a sense of pride that she may have finally asked a question that would stump her unwelcome guest.

Odhran and Eòran exchanged concerned looks. "We do not know," Odhran said with as much confidence as that statement would allow.

"You don't know? You. Don't. Know." Sarah emphatically asked. "Magical beings couldn't find a lowly human?"

"The seer believes that you still have some of your fae traits. What happened to you has never been done before," Eòran tried his best to explain.

Sarah started rubbing her temples vigorously. "This can't be happening. You two and all those people from wherever the hell you are from…"

"The Underground," Eòran interjected.

"Yeah. Okay," Sarah waving him off while still trying to fend off a migraine. "So, this king and queen expect me to just leave the world I know behind, and trust the word of strangers with weapons that I have no knowledge of, and just go with you two to wherever the hell you drag me off to. Is that what is supposed to happen?"

"Essentially," Odhran said slowly. "Although, we have no intentions of dragging you anywhere, Princess. That would go against protocol."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Oh well that's nice to know. Very reassuring."

Eòran interjected again. "We have direct orders from the throne to let you know that once your magic training has matured, you will be able to visit the humans you have spent these past years with."

"The _humans_?" Sarah asked, clearly insulted. "These are the only family I know. I have no intentions of leaving them and trusting you. Neither one of you have given me any indication that I should believe you." Her mini-monologue must have given Sarah a backbone because she started to turn her back on the two faes and walked away from them.

"What about Lancelot, Your Highness," Eòran quickly interjected. The sound of his voice betrayed the panic that he must be feeling inside.

"Excuse me?" Sarah whispered, turning her head to the side. "What did you say?"

"The Queen said that if you refused to believe what we explained to you, you would believe us if we mentioned a toy bear you named Lancelot."

With wide eyes, Sarah fully turned to face the two faes. Mist started to gather in her eyes. No one outside of her immediate family knew about Lancelot and how important that toy was to her.

"No," Sarah whispered to herself. "This can't be happening."

"Please, Your Highness, you will be able to return one day. The King gave his word," Odhran said in reassurance.

She could not go. Could she? This was all so insane. But part of her told herself that she had to do this. Her curiosity would not allow her to walk away from the situation even though another part of her told her to go back to her room and pretend this had never happened.

"All right. You got me." Sarah sighed and dropped her arms to her side with a thud.

Relief spread across Odhran and Eòran's faces.

"But," Sarah quickly added, "I'm going to grab some things to take with me. They're upstairs. I'll be right back. I promise."

Odhran and Eòran both nodded their heads in understanding as Sarah turned to run up the stairs.

Sarah burst through her bedroom door and took a quick inventory of what she wanted to bring. _Wait a minute? _She wondered. _Why do I want to bring anything?_

Granted, her last words to the sword carrying Faes were probably just to buy herself some time.

"_Make sure you don't forget anything…" _a nagging voice in back of her head came pounding through her skull.

"Forget what," Sarah nearly yelled into the empty room. Clutching her head to stop the dull thud in her head that never truly went away since the arrival of Frick and Frack, Sarah made a quick tour of her bedroom. Sarah grabbed her much beloved bag and looked inside. As always, Lancelot and the red book were still there. Not wanting to waste any more time, Sarah's adrenalin kicked into gear. She unzipped her carryon bag taking out her makeup bag, some under garments, two pairs of jeans, a long sleeve grey shirt, a tank top, and simple white t-shirt and carefully packed them into her bag. She may not know exactly what is happening or where she is going, but she will not be naked when she gets there. Pulling her bag over her head, she walked down the hall to Toby's room. She grabbed a pen and some paper from his desk and wrote a note to her brother and parents. Even though she knew she would be back, that she had to come back, Sarah had to steady herself to ensure that she did not break down and cry.

_No reason to become maudlin, Sarah. You're not saying goodbye. Just let them know that you'll be back soon. _

Taking the letter in her hand, she head downstairs where Odhran and Eòran stood in the same position she left them in. Having placed the note on the kitchen island, Sarah turned to glare at the two guards.

"Promise me one thing before we leave," Sarah clearly stated. No tears. No pleading.

"Of course. Anything, Your Highness," Odhran said.

"Reassure me that what you have told me is the truth. I have nothing to go on but the word of two mythical strangers I have never met. I'm leaving the only family I know. Yet, you tell me that's this isn't real. And damn it if my curiosity kills me, but I can't just let what you guys said go. I truly wish I could. So, just tell me that what I'm doing is right, that you two are not lying to me." Sarah let out a not-so-steady breath of air as she finished her small rant. Her anxious hands gripped the hem of her t-shirt.

Both men raised the palm of their right hands to their chest and gave a brief bow to Sarah.

"We swear to you, that what we have told you is to be true," Eòran said solemnly.  
>"Verily, Princess, we may not know everything," Odhran continued. "But, the information we have been given is to be trusted. We swear our lives on it. "<p>

With a curt nod of her head, Sarah walked up to the two men. "All righty then. Let's go."

And with that, Eòran reached out to grab Sarah's shoulder. In a flash of light, the room around her changed from her childhood home to a small, stone room lit only by iron sconces. They lined the walls with crystal orbs that glowed with magic. The altar-looking slab of stone in the middle of the room did not help calm her nerves.

"It's about time," came a voice from behind Sarah.

Sarah quickly turned toward the sounds and found herself staring at a dwarf…no.

_An Elf?_ _A short fae?_

Standing in front of what Sarah quickly learned to be the only door in the room was a male around five feet, three inches. He was older, very old actually, and his voice conveyed his years, yet it had a smooth brogue that would soothe anyone who would listen to him. He wore a hooded, dark green robe that concealed the rest of his body.

Stepping into the light, the man removed his hood. His bright white hair was presumably long and pulled back, the length hiding under the robe. His ears were quite large and pointed to the extreme. He had no discerning eye markings like the two guards on either side of her.

_What is an elf, Alex?_

"My dear, look at how you've grown in these many years," he said warmly even though the warmth never met his eyes or mouth.

"Um… thank you," Sarah trying to decide whether or not this creature was about to have her slain.

"Yes, child," the hooded old man said matter-of-factly while walking close to the altar, holding a worn, wooden box in his hands. "What I said was a compliment. One usually says 'thank you' to such statements."

Mythical world or not, Sarah could not contain her derision for such attitudes.

"Really? I don't know what's going on. I'm coerced here, and I have no idea where here is. And, you think now is the time to make me feel vapid. I don't even know your name. I'm being insulted by someone I don't even know."

He lifted his head, which was previously staring at the wooden box to stare at Sarah with an all-knowing sneer. "My, my. The aboveground has changed you. I told them that would be a consequence," he started to brag, flailing his hand around in the air. "But no one wanted to listen to me. What is the point in being an advisor and High Seer if my fears are discarded? My dear, I am Finnean. I am an advisor to the King and High Seer, as I previously stated. I am the one who placed you aboveground the one who has been searching for you. I will also be the one to bring you back…"

"Bring me back where?" Sarah interrupted. "And how did you place me aboveground in the first place."

"Please, lie down here." Finnean pointed to the altar.

Sarah raised a hand toward the seer. "No, no. I think I deserve some answers before I just go along for this ride."

The High Seer let out a heavy sigh while shaking his head. "No. Hardly anything like the way you were before. Fine. But only the short of it; we are already behind schedule."

Sarah nodded in acceptance of his terms.

"Hopefully, these two guards stated the reason why this happened, yes? War? Kidnapping?" Sarah nodded in agreement. "I will answer your second question first, since that is the most reasonable approach. What made your conversion to the aboveground possible is based on changeling magic. Even in the aboveground, you know about changelings, correct? Well, due to the extreme situations surrounding the Court, I was asked to find a way to keep you safe from harm. While any troll can produce changelings, to insert a grown fae into human life and to insert memories into both as though the fae had always been there, well, that, my dear, was never heard of. But, I found the scroll. The process had never been done. It had been written down eons ago but never actually practiced. But the King and Queen were desperate..."

"Wait a minute. How can you just mess with people's memories to think they had a child that they never had?"

"Human minds," Finnean said with a great deal of contempt. "Human minds are so wonderfully susceptible to many things, especially magic. Find a lonely widower who longs for a child… well, the magic used to make him believe that he has always had a child is an easy task. The difficult process is," Finnean said, his voice rising due to excitement, "not how to convince a human of a changeling. Rather, how to convince the changeling that she always belonged there."

Sarah's interest was now piqued. She just had to take the bait.

"Okay. How does that happen?"

"Complicated magic, of course." Finnean, in Sarah's mind, was all too proud of himself at this point. "You do not have the eyebrows of fae. You cannot use magic. Your ears are rounded at the end like a human's. Frankly, I turned you human. I kept everything about you in the Underground, here." Finnean motioned to the box in his hand. "Your magical abilities, your memories, your fae-ness. Everything is in this box. However, I believe the physical traits you now possess are the ones you are stuck with. Nothing could be found to change you back."

"So, I'll be a human with magic," Sarah asked, trying not to be completely overwhelmed.

"_No_! Of course not. We cannot have a _**human**_ inherit the throne. You will become fae again. Nevertheless, I cannot guarantee that you will receive all of your former fae physical traits."

"Will I forget, you know, my human memories?" Sarah looked at him, her eyes pleading for him to say what she wanted to hear.

"Honestly, I do not know."

That was not the answer she wanted to hear.

With a deep breath, Sarah attempted to calm her nerves. _You're already here. Finally need to take that last step. _

"Fine. What do I need to do?" Sarah unfalteringly asked.

"Again. Lie down here," Finnean curtly said while pointing to the large slab of stone.

Sarah, keeping her bag on her person, lay supine on the cold, dark, stone slab. A chill went up her spine, and she could not tell if that was the temperature of the rock or her fear.

To her right, Finnean opened the wooden box and pulled out an opaque crystal the size of a grapefruit.

The High Seer turned to the two guards. "You two," he ordered, "Hold her down by her shoulders. We do not want her hurting herself."

Sarah sat up quickly. "I'm sorry… what?"

"My dear Princess, you did not truly think that changing from human to fae would be pleasant?"

Feeling a bit foolish, Sarah lowered herself slowly back down. "Honestly, I didn't even think about that."

"Breath evenly," he instructed. "Hold out your hands to make a cup. Hold them against your stomach. Very good. Now, I am going to place the crystal in your hands. Do not let go of this no matter what you see or feel. Are these directions clear?" Sarah nodded her head meekly.

"Humans like countdowns, correct? On 'one', I will drop the orb in your hands and you grasp it. Ready?" Another uncertain, yet firm, nod came from Sarah.

"Three."

_Holy shit. What am I doing? How badly is this going to hurt?_

"Two."

_Wait a second. What did he mean by "no matter what you see?"_

"One."

Despite her inner turmoil and reservations, Sarah did as she was told and grasped the orb when Finnegan placed it in her hands.

The first thing that she felt was pain. Searing pain ripped through her body starting at her head and slowly snaking its way to her feet. She wanted to scream but found that she could not. If Odhran and Eòran had not restrained her, Sarah would have flown off the rock, straight in the air. As soon as the pain started, it ended. Her body went limp yet she was keenly aware of her surroundings.

A blue light encircled her and pulsed,causing Sarah to screw her eyes shut and, in vain, turn her head to the side to escape the glow coming off the orb and her body. A yellow flash tore through Sarah's mind. In an instant, her consciousness was filled with new memories…no, actually, old memories.

"_Sarah. Come on now. You have to finish your lessons," __Muiriol yelled across a field to a small, brunette child who sat astride a cream colored horse. _

"_No. Just a little bit longer. Daisy has been performing her piaffes perfectly, and Mother said she would come to watch." _

"_I am sorry, my dear. But your mother got caught up in some business. I will let her know what you and Daisy have done. Your lessons, Sarah. Now." Muiriol demanded._

"_Where are father and mother? When was the last time we all ate together? Months now, right?" the isolated child asked a servant while blankly staring at the food that was placed in front of her._

"_Why do I have to have tutoring lessons alone? Other children are taught together. That's how it happens in the books I read," the child complained, sitting in an airy sunroom with pen and paper in front of her. _

_Muiriol sat on the opposite side of the child, a book in hand, ready to start the next lesson. "Dear princess," she said in her strong Irish brogue. "You are not now nor will you ever be like other children. No reason for you to act like something that you are not. Who would respect and admire a leader they grew up with and went to school with?" _

As the light faded from Sarah's mind, the last memory she had before she was sent Aboveground flashed before her. A single tear ran down her cheek as she finally remembered the life she had before.

"_I didn't ever want to come back here."_


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I still own nothing of the Henson Co., and it's still sad._

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

_There was a boy_

_A very strange enchanted boy_

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><p>The bright, yellow sun illuminated the bright sandstone of the castle beyond the Goblin City in the center of the Labyrinth. The day brought hustle and bustle to the city surrounding the castle. Creatures of all shapes and kinds bought and traded with traveling merchants and caravans that made their weekly trips through the markets.<p>

Reclining in a black, wing-backed chair sat Jareth, King of the Goblins, and ruler of the Goblin Kingdom. Some may find such a title prestigious. However, the paperwork never is. In the grand office, Jareth sat behind a large, dark wood desk, attempting to imagine that the stack of letters and requests were not staring him in the face, demanding his attention. Dressed in a white, flowing shirt, grey trousers, and dark brown boots, one would suspect he spent more time on his wardrobe than his duties.

Keeping him company in the lofty study was his trusted advisor, Avitus. A tall, older fae with long mauve-grey hair and brown eyes, Avitus found that his main duty toward his King was to calmly and effectively remind Jareth that repeatedly ignoring requests would not make the problems disappear. His job was a tedious one, but Avitus was the best at it.

"Sire," Avitus said for the third time.

Jareth was now hunched over his desk, drawing on linen paper with a piece of charcoal in hand.

Trying again to gain the monarch's attention, Avitus loudly cleared his throat.

"Yes," Jareth drawled out, refusing to make eye contact. "I heard you the first three attempts. After all this time, I would think that you would know when I am purposefully ignoring you."

Poor Avitus rolled his eyes. He really was getting too old for this.

"I understand you wanting to take more time to pursue your _artistic_ endeavors," Avitus stated, pure derision dripping off his tongue. "Unfortunately, for you, my King, you must always be a tortured artist for the sake of the kingdom."

Jareth looked up with merriment in his eyes at the advisor sitting in front of him. Jareth closed his drawing pad and placed it in the right bottom drawer of his desk, then sat back in his chair with his hands behind his head, staring at his advisor.

"Well, what is so important to render my art _un_important?" Jareth smirked.

"There are problems in a city in the northern province of the kingdom." Avitus finally had the King's attention, and he was not about to waste it on jokes. Avitus handed Jareth a piece of paper.

"As you can see on the paper, the main bridge to Oasis Steppes is in such disrepair that the town's people refuse to travel on it and the merchants refuse to travel into the city…"

"Stop. I approved funding for a new bridge over a year ago," Jareth interrupted.

Jareth may be easily distracted, but no one could call him an inattentive ruler.

"Umm…" Avitus clearly did not have the same memory recall as his King.

Jareth continued reading the ledger that was previously handed to him. "If the money was not used to repair the bridge, what did that seemingly useless Angus use it for? And here, a mine collapsed a few days ago? I told him to discontinue the cut and fill mining procedure months ago. Too much is mined out of that region to justify such a method. He's lucky no one has died."

"His name is Governor Aengus, Sire."

"I want him _fired_, regardless of his name. Have him exiled to one of the opal mining towns in the Northwestern province. That way he will always know what proper mining methods look like. Ensure that the miners of Oasis Steppes immediately implement the preferred mining techniques…"

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but you are making it sound like I am to be the one to execute your orders."

"Aren't you an astute one? It's one of the many reasons why I keep you around," Jareth joked as he started scribing his orders on fine linen paper. "Inform Councilmember Derry that his new post will be as governor of the Northeastern province. The bridge needs to be fixed and the mining of the coal needs to be upgraded. You will stay there until those two issues have been fixed. Am I understood?" Jareth said, still writing down his orders.

"But…but… what about you, Sire?" Avitus asked anxiously. He did not doubt his ability to follow his King's orders, but leaving for such a long assignment, well, who would harass the King that there is work to be done?

"Last time I checked, I am not a child. I am able to function without your continual harassment." Jareth was folding his directives and placing it in an envelope. After grabbing the wax and seal from the upper left drawer of his desk, Jareth melted the wax on the fold of the envelope and sealed it with his ring.

"What's the name of that elf you've been training?" Jareth inquired while handing the envelope to his advisor.

"His name is Cormac. But, I've been training him for only fifty years. He…"

"Silence." Jareth raised his hand to silence his advisor while attempting to suppress his laugh. "I admit that I can be difficult, but I don't think that I'm fifty years of training difficult."

Avitus let out a heavy, resigned sigh. That poor elf will not know what hit him.

"Take this." Jareth conjured a small crystal and casually tossed it to Avitus. "If something urgent occurs, you may contact me directly. And by urgent, I mean if someone is in danger, not that the new governor is using an incorrect style of paper for your liking." Jareth never could resist a dig at the uptight nature of his advisor.

Avitus tensely strained his tunic coat. "Yes. Well, proper decorum is a dying attribute in society, especially in a kingdom full of rogues. I do my best to make sure it does not die completely away. Surely, you cannot blame me for trying."

"You and Derry pack and leave as soon as possible. The quicker you leave, the sooner you can come back to save Cormac from the absurdity that is working for the King of the Goblins," Jareth said as he stood up from his chair and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going? You have to approve the budget for the month."

"It's high noon. And the budget will just have to wait for lunch," Jareth stated as he opened the door. "You know how I love our budget meetings. It will be a great crash course for Corbin." Jareth walked out the room, the door closing behind him.

"It's Cormac," Avitus corrected to no one. He dropped his head in his hand. "That poor elf."

Jareth walked into the castle's kitchen and was immediately greeted by Gustaf, a tomte who happened to be in charge of the kitchen. With the look of an old man yet the size of a child, Gustaf, in fact, was the only one who worked in the kitchen. As a tomte, he had the massive capacity to work and preferred to do it alone. One time, Jareth sent a goblin to help Gustaf in the kitchen. Less than an hour later, Gustaf chased the befuddled and screaming goblin out of the kitchen and to the other side of the castle, threatening that the goblin, and any other creature, had better stay out of the kitchen if they valued their ears. Even Jareth learned a lesson that day: leave a tomte to do his work alone.

Jareth gave Gustaf a friendly yet terse nod and noticed that Gustaf had already set out his customary midday meal: some fruit, a wedge of cheese, and a piece of crusty bread. Jareth grabbed the meal and made a swift exit.

Jareth made his way through the castle and walked through one of the back doors that led to the private royal garden. No goblins were allowed in this part of the castle grounds. Only his advisor and gardeners were permitted access, and they had all better have good excuses on hand if they were to interrupt him here. However, today he did not want to take his break in the royal garden. Instead, he made his way toward the middle of the garden to a wrought iron door covered in ivy with large shrubs acting as a fence on either side of the door. There were no locks on the door. No key could be replicated to gain access. Jareth raised his hands to form a crystal. He pushed the crystal into the middle of the door, which absorbed the crystal and allowed the door to open. He stepped through quickly and closed the door behind him.

In front of him was his own secret garden. Various flowers grew everywhere with no plain grass in sight. Spread across the garden were iris flowers, purple irises, and among the irises were some tulips, daffodils, primroses and hyacinth. Nothing but flowers were in the garden except for a small slate walkway, a bench at the end of the path, and a small fountain tucked in the corner, water slowly pouring from a crystal ball at the top. Ever since it was created several years ago, the care of the garden fell upon Jareth as well. Normally, others would not find this odd since his magic could make long tedious work like weeding a nonissue. Yet, on more than one occasion, several castle workers had witnessed the king walking into the castle covered in mud and sweat. Why he refused to use magic none of them knew, and no one was brave enough to ask.

Jareth walked down the slate path, as he had done so many times before. Lounging cross-legged on the bench, Jareth unwrapped the cloth holding his food and ate his lunch while gazing at the water fountain. Frequently, thoughts ran through his head which involved that fateful night nearly ten years ago, thoughts for him alone, never to be shared with an advisor or spoken aloud for a ragtag band of goblins to barely hear. Some thoughts are to be kept to oneself. Some mistakes should rarely, if ever, be spoken out loud.

Hoggle, the dwarf, stood behind a topiary shaped like a sleeping deer, clutching a piece of paper in his hands as he watched Jareth walk into his garden. Although it had been nearly ten years since Hoggle helped Sarah make it to the castle, he still felt immense apprehension when having to request anything from Jareth, even a simple monetary request for gardening supplies.

Hoggle did receive some discipline for his actions, as he expected for his treacherous actions. After Hoggle and the others left Sarah in her room, Hoggle was summoned by a goblin guard to the throne room. What transpired once he arrived shocked even the most cynical part of him.

_Hoggle softly shuffled his way toward the throne, hat in hand and head held down. He noticed immediately that the throne room was completely empty of everyone but the Goblin King, who sat slumped in his throne, dressed head to toe in black, a small glass filled with amber liquid in his hand. _

"_Your Majest…" Hoggle started to say, still staring at the floor._

"_Do not dare to speak, Hogsqueal," Jareth interrupted, holding one finger up to silence the dwarf while taking a long swig of the drink. His low, even voice betrayed the typical effects of the liquid in his hand. _

"_I'm not sure how aware you are of how much I want to throttle that pathetic dwarf body of yours," Jareth stated. "To throw you into the bog only to watch you drown and watch the life leave your body." Jareth was now looking at the glass as though he pondered its very existence. "…Because if you knew how I truly felt, you would not DARE SPEAK BEFORE BEING SPOKEN TO!" Jareth was now glaring at Hoggle, enraged. _

_Hoggle, quivering like a rag doll in the wind, was secretly hoping that, whatever death sentence was to be given, it would be swift. Waiting, he discovered, was the worst feeling he had ever felt. Hoggle gave a quick glance to the throne. Jareth was sitting up straight with the amber liquid in one hand and a crystal ball in the other. Staring at the crystal ball, Jareth seemed to forget the presence of the dwarf, which made Hoggle's waiting more pitiful and worrying. _

"_The bridge that went across the Bog of Eternal Stench: fix it, alone. No help from anyone," Jareth stated, still staring at the crystal. "The iron gate in the tunnels, fix that as well. Again, no help from anyone. There are several homes damaged from today's earlier escapades: repair all of them to previous conditions. The goblins need to find their homes livable and comfortable. And since you are a gardener and not a builder, I will allow you the help of one other creature. All this is to be done in a week's time. And don't dare ask what happens if you are not successful. "_

_Hoggle stood there openly gaping at the presumably drunk monarch. Where were the lashings, the jail time, the exile to the barren lands? _

"_You are dismissed, Hogbrain," Jareth sneered as he massaged his head with his hand._

_And with that blatant dismissal, Hoggle ran out of the throne room as fast as his little legs would carry him. _

Hoggle had his ideas as to why he was never punished in a severe way. The main theory was that if Sarah ever made her way back to the Underground, she would want to find Hoggle. And if she ever found out that something happened to him, Sarah would never forgive Jareth. Hoggle may not be the smartest creature in the kingdom, but he was not a fool and knew exactly the type of feelings the monarch had for the then stubborn teenager.

Hoggle realized how lucky he was that Jareth had let him keep his head following Sarah's triumph. Any interaction that could allow Jareth to change his mind on whether Hoggle breathed air always made Hoggle afraid, even if it was for the monthly ground-keeping budget. If only Hoggle was able to keep in contact with Sarah all these years, maybe everything would be better for him and Jareth. Rumor among his fellow subjects was that Jareth had been trying for years to reach Sarah, yet failing at every turn.

Hoggle was brought out of his reminiscing by the subtle sound of the opening garden gate. Hoggle looked up and noticed Jareth leaving his private garden. _This has got to be done at some point, _Hoggle thought to himself. He hobbled his way toward Jareth, who by now was closing the door shut.

"What do you want, Hogpen?" Jareth asked, his back facing Hoggle.

"Erm…um…" Hoggle struggled while wrestling with the paper in his hand.

"I would much more appreciate it if you would lose the ability to speak when I am not around," Jareth mocked.

Presenting the piece with both hands, Hoggle said, "Uh, Your Majesty, this is the list of supplies wanted by the other gardeners. Nothin' special, you see. Just some anti-fairy powder, seeds…"

Jareth snatched the paper from Hoggle, produced a pen from thin air, and quickly signed his name at the bottom.

"Here. Take it to comptroller. Have them give you the necessary funds," Jareth said while shoving the paper back to Hoggle. "I don't know why it's so hard for you to verbalize something you do nearly every month. Bloody absurd, you are, Hogwit." And with that last insult, Jareth marched into the castle, leaving the ever-apprehensive dwarf behind him.

As Jareth marched his way through the castle, he could not help the mantra that was repeating through his mind whenever he saw Hoggle.

_That bloody dwarf. That bloody dwarf. That bloody dwarf. That bloody dwarf._

Bad enough that Jareth knew that he breathed free air, but it was another thing entirely to have to deal with the creature after a peaceful lunch. Each passing day brought Jareth nearer to the closure he so desperately wanted for the past nine years. Over the years, he berated himself for the mistakes that were made, the simple things that could have made all the difference: no clock in the dream, not losing his temper in the tunnels, and that bloody dwarf! He should have had the little cretin locked away in his tiny home.

_That bloody dwarf._

How foolish was he to think that he could use his own subjects against Sarah? No, not foolish at all. He was the king, and his word was law. How lucky for that creature that Jareth had his reasons to keep him alive.

_That bloody dwarf._

The King of the Goblins could have had his own happy ending.

_That bloody dwarf._

Any serenity Jareth had achieved when he was in the flower garden disappeared by the time he entered his throne room. The throne room was in its normal frenzied and chaotic state. Several goblins were huddled around a quickly dwindling keg of ale. Some were yelling at each other and every so often bashing each other in the head with brooms and wooden swords. Others were lying about, passed out on one another. One goblin, for some reason, decided to spend his time chasing a light reflecting off the pasta strainer hat of another goblin- who happened to be sleeping in a crevice of a wall.

Jareth collapsed in his throne, one foot resting on the arm and the other on the floor. His head fell immediately into his right hand, trying in vain to stave off a migraine. He was not successful.

"Quiet! All of you!" Jareth barked across the throne room.

The room went instantaneously still, excluding the sound of a pasta strainer hitting the stone floor.

"Finally," Jareth whispered to himself.

Just as Jareth started to win the migraine war, a small breeze whirled through the throne room.

"Shit," Jareth muttered to himself.

A deep ethereal voice filled the room, "Knock. Knock, brother dear. I know you're there."

Jareth looked toward the ceiling with a heavy sigh. _Does he have nothing better to do?_

Jareth snapped his fingers, having resigned himself to his fate that he and his migraine would be together forever.

Suddenly, a large osprey swooped through the window and circled up through the throne room, haphazardly plunging toward the terrified goblins that were scurrying out of the room as fast as possible. Jareth, however, was not impressed by these antics and decided that going back to nursing his headache was a much better use of his time. As soon as every last goblin was gone, the osprey flew before the throne and changed into a tall, male fae.

"Must you come here to torture my subjects, Lochlan? Run out of phookas and imps to pester?" Jareth taunted.

"If that is what you consider torture, I would like to know how you keep these foolish subjects of yours inline," Lochlan scoffed back. "It would seem that they require a firmer hand."

Lochlan was a tall fae, an inch or two shorter than Jareth with long white hair that was swept back into a sleek, low ponytail. With sharp, angular facial features so similar to Jareth, one would think them twins, except for Lochlan's eyes. His pure black eyes would make a passerby postulate that he had no eyes at all. Dressed in a black poets shirt, black pants with black knee high boots, he cut an intimidating picture to anyone who saw him. Everyone but Jareth, that is.

"Go away. I have no use for you," Jareth protested.

Lochlan, as always, was unfazed by his older brother's dismissive attitude.

"Don't act as though you are not happy to see me. Who else would keep you company?" Lochlan ridiculed. "I'm sure of the fact that most of your subjects lack the capacity to remember their own name." Lochlan walked over to the window through which he flew, leaned against the wall, and crossed his legs and arms while looking at Jareth with an all-knowing grin.

"One: Don't mock my subjects. Many of them may be idiots, but they are my idiots, and I won't have you insulting them. Last time I checked, draugars and nøkkens are not the most enviable conversationalists," Jareth intoned. "Second: What business do you have here? Or did you finally grow bored of that harem of yours? I'm delighted for the women actually. It must be exhausting pretending to be pleased to see you. Sounds like a dreadful position to be in."

Jareth sat back in his throne with his head resting in his right hand, joyfully smirking at his brother. Mocking his brother has always been a surefire way to relieve him from whatever stressful ailment he may be afflicted with.

"Being outright contemptuous, are we Jareth? And here I thought I was being a loving and supportive younger brother by coming here to tell you some good news..."

"No. I don't want any cookies you may be selling," Jareth teased.

Lochlan frowned, giving his sibling side eyes. "You really do need to stop visiting the Aboveground. These idioms of yours are outlandish, and no one cares for them but you."

"Maybe if you do more than frighten and torment the poor humans, you might learn a thing or two," Jareth retorted.

Lochlan openly scoffed. "Forget about the useless humans. About my news: it concerns a certain member of the Seelie Court..."

Silenced filled the room.

"Well. Get on with it," Jareth said, pretending to not care.

"One of my spies informed me about this a few days ago, but I wanted to double check to insure he was correct…"

"Yes, and…" Jareth commanded, his eyes boring into his brother.

"It seems as though the _Princess_ has returned," Lochlan sneered.

Jareth slumped into his throne, slowly looking around the room while processing the information he just received. His head was spinning with endless questions and possibilities.

"How long ago did she return? Where is she? How did they find her? How did your spy find her?" Jareth probed. His words sounding more anxious and apprehensive with each question asked.

"She is said to have returned only a few days ago. My spy last saw her in the Seelie Castle being escorted to her chambers. I do not have knowledge of how the Court found her- only that the spy saw her," Lochlan answered with amusement. "And my spy found her by spying, of course. Get a handle on yourself. Don't be simple, Jareth."

Jareth paced the throne room, back and forth, striding in front of Lochlan with his hands clasped behind his back, and muttering to himself in the native Goblin language.

"Stop speaking that bizarre language. It's bad enough these creature speak it, and now you start with it."

Jareth continued his pacing, ignoring his brother's observations.

"You are going to wear a path in the floor, which is impressive, I must say, since it is made of stone."

Still no response from Jareth, only long strides and muttering.

Lochlan unleashed an exasperated sigh and shook his head while gazing at the floor.

"All this concern, all this distressing, all this thought, over what? A woman who tossed you aside and by now has, at best, forgotten you, or worst, loathes you," Lochlan said offhandedly.

Whether he meant to or not, Lochlan now had Jareth's full attention.

One moment, Lochlan was lazily resting against the wall and the next, was pinned to the stone wall by an invisible force, his brother on him immediately, holding an iron dagger to Lochlan's throat. Jareth's mismatched eyes went solid black, just like Lochlan's. Lochlan swallowed deeply, yet carefully. His brother really was too serious about trivial things.

"Hit a nerve, have I?" Lochlan croaked out while attempting to defuse the situation. At no point would he ever believe that his brother would take his life. They have been through too much together for such tirades. However, no one, not even King of the Unseelies, appreciates an iron knife to the throat.

Jareth grabbed Lochlan by the back of the head and brought him closer to speak directly into his ear.

"Speak of her in that way again," Jareth hissed, "and you'll wish I had slit your throat this day. Am I clear?" Jareth threw Lochlan's head against the stone wall, causing a large crack to form in the wall.

Lochlan stumbled away from Jareth and grabbed his head in pain. Seeing the state of the wall, Lochlan checked the back of his head for blood and saw none.

"Crystal clear, dear brother," Lochlan replied with a snicker. _Yes,_ Lochlan thought, _he's much too serious. _"I've evidently worn out my welcome. I'll leave you to your goblin thoughts." And with a mocking low bow to his brother, who was sitting on his throne, Lochlan transformed to an osprey and flew out the window.

Jareth ignored him; he had too much to consider without having to listen to his brother's nonsense anymore.

_Sarah had returned. Will she remember me? Does she remember anything? _

Nearly ten years had passed since Sarah said those dreadful words, banishing the Goblin King from her Aboveground life, and not a day passed where he did not wonder where she was. Having lost all ability to track Sarah, his only solace was knowing that one day she would return to the Underground.

It was about time Jareth obtain his own information rather than rely on his brother.

"Rasch!" Jareth yelled into the empty room.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jareth saw a miniature, green figure hurry into the room as it ran over to stand in front of the throne.

Rasch was a small imp with green skin, severely pointed ears and a long tail that resembled that of a mouse. He was no more than six inches tall. He was hard to spot unless you were purposefully looking for him. _Perfect, _Jareth thought.

Rasch stood before the throne, his large, orange eyes eager to please his king.

"Rasch, I have an important task for you."


	5. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Henson Co., and it's still sad._

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

_When there are clouds in the sky  
>You'll get by<em>

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><p>In one of the Seelie Palace's solariums, Sarah sat at a grand piano, dressed in a sleeveless, long, navy dress with a knee-high slit on the side. Her long brown hair was set in a side ponytail resting on her right shoulder. She was playing George Frideric Handel's The Harmonious Blacksmith, one of the first pieces she'd performed in front of an audience when she was in high school. The piano. Sarah thought it strange that she took to the instrument after she returned Aboveground from the Labyrinth. However, it seems that her little trip back to the Underground triggered her old habit of daily piano playing.<p>

This particular room's walls and ceiling were made of glass panels, each stained with a different shade of amber and gold. The dark wood panels and ceiling beams always made the room feel darker than it was, even with the sun beaming. Regardless of what others had scheduled for her, Sarah always prioritized spending time in that room.

The Amber Room was her favorite place, besides her own chambers, to be alone as a child. Considering she was being treated just like the child she'd been when she left, Sarah's natural inclination to spend as much time in the room as possible was to be expected. She was spending all her remaining time with Muiriol anyway. Apparently, as long as she stayed out of her parents' way, she could be wherever she wanted. Sarah had been in the Underground for no more than five days, and the only time she saw the King and Queen was after her conversion. Some things never change.

_Odhran and Eòran escort Sarah from the small room__ following her conversion. Still holding on to her bag, Sarah's regular attire of jeans and a t-shirt was starting to look a little bit worn. Sarah could really go for a bath right about now. Finnean trailed behind the trio, muttering in elfish about how late it was and how this whole process had caused him to miss his evening meal. Walking across long stretches of limestone flooring, they made their way to a pair of oversized, dark wood double doors, which were carved into likenesses of various creatures including faes, elves, and dwarves. Two fae guards flanked the doors with spears in hand and swords at their sides. The two faes facing the group bowed to Sarah and took hold of their respective handles and opened the doors. The opened doors led to an expansive white marble floored room. In the middle of the room, a raised dais held three thrones with two people, a man and a woman, sitting in two of the three chairs. _

_In the center sat a husky, yet brawny, fae, with sandy blonde hair that came to his shoulders and olive skin. Across his head rested a solid silver circlet with ancient fae inscriptions engraved in it. His deep brown eyes betrayed his youthful looks. Wearing a dark green tunic, dark brown trousers and boots, Oberon sat with an air of authority and pageantry that only a King of the Seelie Court could accomplish. To his left sat a lithe, pale woman with long, dark brown hair that reached the bottom of her back. Her green eyes cried spitefulness and self-importance. She was dressed in a long, one-shouldered, terracotta-colored gown with thick, copper bangles encircling her wrists. On top of her head rested a rose-gold circlet with a large opal that dropped to the center of her forehead. Titania was the epitome of vanity wrapped in a graceful guise. _

_As though no time had passed at all, Sarah stepped forward and stopped before the dais. She lowered her head, placed her right foot behind her left, and bent her knees to curtsy before the king and queen. Slowly and as gracefully as possible, Sarah stood and looked to Oberon and then to Titania._

"_Still unable to keep your back straight, I see; still leaning forward. I should have known the Aboveground would have done nothing for your etiquette," Titania said with contempt._

"_Such archaic acts are not considered useful anymore in the Aboveground," Sarah said, trying to hide the mocking tone in her voice. There was a reason why Sarah gave up acting years ago. _

"_Mind your tongue, child," Oberon's composed yet booming voice echoed across the hall. _

_Everyone's, especially Sarah's, backs went straight as a rod. _

"_It seems as though you have spent too much time away from the palace. Your manners and your attire are truly suffering," Oberon stated while giving his daughter a quick look-over. Apparently, he was not a fan of the jeans and t-shirt look. "Finnean has assured me that your memory has returned. Is this correct?"_

"_Yes, Your Majesty," Sarah replied._

"_Tomorrow, you begin as though this minor interlude had not occurred. Muiriol will continue with your lessons. And the royal seamstress will measure you for your new attire. Obviously, you have outgrown all the clothing in your chamber," Titania stated._

_Sarah looked down at herself. Her mother was right about one thing: she definitely was different at twenty-five than she was at thirteen. _

"_You're dismissed," Oberon said while waving dismissively. _

"_Wait!" Sarah cried out._

_She could nearly feel the ice from the stares she received from both her parents. _

"_I was told that I would be able to visit the Aboveground at some point. I left them a note, but I wasn't told when I would be able to…." _

"_You will only be able to return once you have mastered the ability to transport yourself between worlds," Oberon interrupted. _

"_Master? I was never taught how to transport anywhere. No one ever taught me how to use my magic. How long will it take?" Sarah asked._

_Oberon and Titania both started to become visibly bristled by the borderline accusations they were receiving from their only child. _

"_As long as it takes," Titania stiffly retorted, "Again, you are dismissed." _

So, here Sarah was, sitting at a piano playing an Aboveground musical piece that reminded her of her home. _My real home,_ she thought. Where she had parents who openly cared for her and had a sibling she adored. Instead, she was hiding out in the Amber Room until Muiriol's inevitable interruption for Sarah's lessons regarding various ballroom dancing, the names of new kingdom leaders, and proper curtsying. Sarah had already decided earlier in the day that if she had to curtsy one more time, she would scream in Muiriol's or any passerby's face.

As she finished the musical piece, a green object in the corner of Sarah's eye caught her attention. Pretending not to notice the entity, she closed the lid of the piano.

She quickly turned her head toward the little green thing.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked, spotting the little thing before he knew he was exposed.

"_Ah!" _a small squeaking voice yelled out. His large, orange eyes darted to either side of him, as he looked for a quick escape, but was frozen still by his own fear.

"I don't think the palace employs imps. Titania finds them disturbing. So, who are you, and what are you doing here?" Sarah left the piano bench and crouched down in order to take a closer look at the imp.

"I thought imps had tails that ended with arrows or a sharp point," Sarah wondered aloud. "Yours looks just like a little mouse tail."

"I ain't no mouse!" The imp protested, grabbing his tail in defense. "Some of us are different. That don't make us worse."

Sarah placed both her hands in the air, palms facing out in surrender.

"Calm down. I'm sorry if I upset you. I've just never seen a real imp, only read about you in books."

The imp released his tail and calmed his breathing. Sarah sat back on her heels and placed her hands on her thighs.

"I'll ask again," Sarah carefully stated. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Er… um… agh…"

Sarah reached forward and gently grabbed him, catching him off guard.

"GAH! Put me down. Rasch don't like to be picked up!" he proclaimed while trying to escape the fae woman's grip. His eyes bugged out of his skull while his tiny claws scratched at the hand encasing him. Unfortunately for Rasch, his scratches had no effect on Sarah.

"So, your name is Rasch, is it? Hmm…German for rapid. Clever."

Rasch let out an audible gulp.

"Let's talk up here." Sarah, still holding Rasch, got off her knees and sat back on the piano bench.

"All right, I'm going to place you on the piano, but you're not going to run away. Deal?"

"Deal."

Sarah opened her palm to place Rasch on the top of the piano. Rasch took two or three uncertain steps backward, unsure of what was happening.

"Okay. I now know that you are an imp named Rasch. I'm Sarah, by the way." Sarah reached for the plate of scones and jam on the top of the piano. She broke off a piece of the scone, lathered it with some jam, and handed it to Rasch. He nervously reached for the offered food. Sniffing it carefully, Rasch proceeded to unceremoniously shove the food in his mouth in one bite, crumbs spilling out the sides.

"Hungry, I see. Have some more if you want," Sarah offered.

With that open invitation, Rasch jumped on top of one of the scones and proceeded to bury his head in it, eating it from the inside out. Fully satiated and with a protruding stomach, Rasch sat at the edge of the piano facing Sarah.

"Still not going to tell me anything," Sarah mused.

Rasch stood up straight and placed his tiny clawed hand over his chest. "I had promised to my master not to speak to no one and not to show myself to no one," he said with all the seriousness that a tiny imp could muster.

Sarah let out a small chuckle. "Well, it seems to me that you have failed on both those counts."

Poor Rasch, realizing the error of his ways, started to hyperventilate and sprint back and forth across the piano. Seeing such a small thing lose control made Sarah feel nervous for the unfortunate creature.

"I failed! I failed! My first mission and I failed! What am I going to do? What am I going to do?"

"Just stop moving." Sarah placed her open palms on either side of Rasch to stop his movements.

"I'll let you go on two conditions: Tell me if you're a member of the Unseelie Court and what exactly is your mission." Sarah calmly demanded.

"I'm no Unseelie! Not no more! My's family kicked me out years ago. I wasn't acting like no proper imp theys said," Rasch explained with a tinge of sadness in his high-pitched voice. "I's no work for them! And never will!"

_Poor thing, _Sarah thought.

"And your mission?"

"I's supposed to see what's going on here. We's heard somethin' big was a-happenin' and I'm supposed to find out what," Rasch said. "Tis you, isn't it? I noticed they's putting together a big party for a princess. Are you her?" Rasch looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," Sarah said, waving a hand in the air nonchalantly. "It's a ball, a type of welcome home soirée. At least, that's what I've been told. Apparently, I'm just supposed to show up, smile, and look pretty." Sarah sneered. "So, is that all you needed to know? Party details?"

"Yep!" Rasch squeaked out, nodding his head enthusiastically up and down.

"Who sends a spy to the Seelie Palace to inquire about party details?" Sarah contemplated.

"That was Rasch's job. See what's going on."

Odd that Sarah was talking to an admitted spy in the palace. She should not be talking to him. In fact, she should be calling for help. Yet, here she was conversing with a spy imp regarding party planning. How harmful could he be?

"Princess Sarah! Are you in the Amber Room again?" Muiriol's strong brogue came echoing down the hall and through the room.

"Uh oh. You better go, Rasch. I've got company coming."

Rasch jumped off the piano and hurried up the wooden panel leading to the large wooden beam on the ceiling. Sarah looked up and casually waved goodbye to Rasch.

"Goodbye, Rasch. Be careful and don't get caught by anyone else. Others might not be so kind to a nosey imp. Take care of yourself."

Rasch waved his tiny arm enthusiastically, while flashing a giant toothy smile at Sarah.

"Goodbye, Princess. I thank yous for your assistance." Rasch scurried away through a tiny hole in the wall. Just then, Muiriol walked through the doorway and toward Sarah.

"Who ya talking to?" Muiriol inquired. Muiriol was a bulky, red headed woman who was faster than she looked, a fact a young Sarah had learned quickly.

When Sarah was around ten years old, she tried hiding from Muiriol in the stables in an attempt to weasel out of her Elvish language studies. Sarah dashed out of an empty horse stable when she saw Muiriol coming near. The next thing Sarah knew, her caretaker's hand was wrapped around her arm, dragging her back inside to study. Sarah learned that day never to try to outrun Muiriol again.

"Nobody. I was just thinking out loud," Sarah lied.

Muiriol looked at the plate of scones on the piano and the large crumbs scattered across the top. She gave Sarah a quizzical raise of her eyebrow.

"I can see you were hungry. Don't know why ya had to make a mess of things. I'll have someone come in to clean it up. Well, come on now. We should go to the one of the drawing rooms."

Sarah let out an audible groan and slumped on the bench.

"Can I go to the stables instead? I've seen Daisy once since I've been back. You know she doesn't like to be around anyone but me." Sarah winced at her own words. Five days in this place had already turned her into a petulant child. But she could not help it sometimes. No one likes feeling like a caged bird. And that was exactly how Sarah had been treated these past few days.

And poor Daisy. Her Irish Draft horse had been very animated when she first laid eyes on Sarah. A few gallops around the field and some fence jumping were all Sarah and Daisy had had together so far. The rest of Sarah's time had been spent indoors.

"Sorry, my dear. We be spending the day indoors," Muiriol answered.

"Will I finally begin my magic lessons?" Sarah questioned. Five days had passed, and she still was not taught how to use or control her magic. How was she supposed to transport herself to the Aboveground if she could not even make a simple crystal orb? Every day she asked Muiriol, and every day she was told…

"Not today, my dear. That will come soon, but we have other things to attend to."

_Please don't let it be dancing. Please don't let it be dancing. Please don't let it be dancing._

"Don't worry," Muiriol chuckled. "There will be no dancin' for you. Not even a history lesson on the Paso Doble." Sarah slumped her shoulders in relief.

Two hours into the history of the Troll Kingdom, Sarah was starting to wish that she was dancing instead.

"Why do we keep going over this? I learned about the history of the various kingdoms in the Seelie Court years ago," Sarah whined.

"Yes. However after all this time, ye are likely to have forgotten important things. And since the ball is in two days, we don't want ya to embarrass yourself, do we?" Muiriol explained.

"If any gathering involves me talking to someone about how the Court forgets that the King of the Trolls is actually a Fae, I might throw up on myself," Sarah deadpanned.

"I'll have you know that the Faes of the Court find teasing the Troll King quite humorous," Muiriol said. Sarah looked at Muiriol with disbelief.

_Oh god, maybe I can feign death and not go to the ball._

This ball was not the first ball, or even the first official court function, that she had ever attended, but before she left for the aboveground, she was deemed too young to participate. Therefore, she would normally sit quietly at the grand dining hall for official dinners and in her seat on the dais, where she would sit, all night, with only her thoughts to entertain her. Sarah never would have thought that one day she would wish for the days where she just sat in a chair instead of being expected to dance and speak with these dull, highbrow social climbers.

"Well, it's nearly 3 o'clock. We should stop and head to your chambers. The seamstress said your gown should be ready by now."

_Thank goodness._ Sarah slumped back in the light blue, upholstered chair. No more trolls.

"And after the fitting, we will move on to the Kingdom of the Dwarves."

_Noooo!_

* * *

><p>When Rasch entered the main door to the throne room, the Goblin Court was underway. There was only one person left requesting an audience with the king. There was a young elf in dark blue robes standing to Jareth's right. Jareth was sitting straight in his throne starring at the short, portly human in front of him.<p>

"Your Majesty, I've come begging your assistance. Our village suffered a small fire…"

"If you are asking for assistance why did you not send a request, as procedure requires," Jareth interrupted.

"Well, it's just that it took out several businesses in town…"

"And why are you, a city councilman, coming to me rather than Governor Flavian", Jareth interrupting again.

The man started wringing his hands and shuffling his feet. "Um, well there's a very good reason for this, Sire…"

Jareth held up his hand to silence the man in front of him.

"Seven months on the job and still unable to conduct paper work," Jareth muttered loudly to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Conwick!" Jareth bellowed.

The nervous looking elf to his left dropped his parchment and pen on the ground. After swiftly reaching down to pick up his dropped items, Cormac stood at full attention facing Jareth.

"It's Cormac, sire,"

"Yes, yes," Jareth waved flippantly. "Take Councilman Tammy…"

"Tomas, Your Majesty," Cormac gulped out.

"Take Councilman Tomas to one of the meeting rooms, take an account of all damage done to the city of Tandel, and give him a quick run through of how government works here in the Goblin Kingdom. Court is dismissed!" Jareth yelled. Immediately, the court emptied of everyone, everyone but Rasch, who was still standing near the entrance.

Jareth walked toward the window and sat on the ledge. Conjuring a crystal, he looked out onto the expanse of his kingdom while rolling the orb back forth across his arms.

"Rasch. Back so soon? I suspected that you would be gone for a few days."

Rasch sprinted toward Jareth, crawled up the side of the wall and came to a rest on the toe of Jareth's boot. Rasch stood tall (as tall as an imp could) and saluted.

"I did my job good, Kingy, that's what Rasch did," squeaked the tiny being. Jareth attempted to hide his grin at the over-eagerness of his subject. Sometimes, he found it difficult to take such a small creature seriously.

"I did the egg spongey. And I come back with the information, I did," Rasch explained.

Jareth lightly sighed. "Fine. What did you find out during your _espionage_ mission?"

"They're throwing a party, a large one. They's put up silk and candles all over the place. I sneaked into the kitchen. Lots of foods they got there. I tried to taste what they's be making but I's wasn't going to gets caught. Nopes!"

Jareth conjured an apple and a knife and started slicing the fruit open. He offered a small piece to Rasch. "Did you find a reason for such a grand gala?"

Rasch shoved the entire apple wedge into his mouth, causing his mouth to stretch out twice its size. Regardless of his lack of mouth movement, Rasch still attempted to speak.

"The ball is for Princess Sarah. But she's not happys about it at all…"

Jareth sat up straight and leaned forward.

"You spoke to her?" Jareth asked intensely.

Rasch was finally able to chew properly and swallow the apple. It was at this point that he realized that he just exposed his major error.

"Uh, well, I…"

Jareth reached out and grabbed Rasch around his middle, bringing him up to his eye level.

Jareth spoke slowly and clearly. "Did you see her? Did you speak to her?"

"Yes and Yes," Rasch squeaked out.

"And what did she say?"

Rasch looked up while pondering his answer.

"She don't want to goes dancing. Party for her but she no want to go. Rasch don't understand that, but that's what she said, she did."

Jareth jumped off the window ledge and placed Rasch down with the half eaten apple. Rasch proceeded to shove the rest of the apple in his mouth.

Between chews, Rasch said, "She also gave me food. She nice lady."

Jareth gave a small smile. "Of course she did," he said.

"Is we going to the party, Kingy?" Rasch asked as he finally finished his apple.

"I am going, and it seems I have some planning to do," Jareth said while walking out of the throne room, leaving Rasch alone as he attempted to swallow the apple whole.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: FYI, I'm loving the reviews. **

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

_I'm bewildered, for we're strangers when we meet_

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><p>"Princess Sarah, stay put," Muiriol said while she slowly circled the irritated woman in front of her.<p>

"I've been standing put for the past three hours," Sarah protested. "How long does it take to fit a dress that has already been fitted? We did this the other day."

"This is yer official court debut, my dear. The King and Queen will accept nothin' but perfection," chimed the Fae seamstress from below.

In the middle of her bedchamber, Sara stood atop a small pedestal with a seamstress at her feet sewing the hem of her dress. The bedchamber was large, the walls and floors consisting of beige limestone. When entering the room, a large stained glass mural depicting various blooming flowers took up much of the left wall and provided the only sunlight during the day. In the middle of the room sat an immense bed with a quilted, padded headboard. The bedding was cream colored and above it hung a large, white crystal chandelier. To the right was the bathing room and closet. She still had her Aboveground clothing packed away in her bag, stowed away in the closet. If Sarah ever had time to herself, she would be able to wear her jeans instead of these damn dresses.

Wanting the seamstress to finish as soon as possible, Sarah stood tall in her ruby red sleeveless chiffon dress. The dress had a pleated bodice and a court length cape that flowed from the top of her back. Sarah's hair was in a low chignon bun with loose tendrils on either side of her head. She felt like a perfect little China Doll being prepped for her box display. She also felt like taking a shot of tequila… or two.

_Hope there's some Elf wine at this event. _

"I need to sit down. My feet are killing me." Sarah started shifting from foot to foot, attempting to relieve the pain.

"All right. All right. I am finished," proclaimed the seamstress while gathering her sewing items from off the floor.

Sarah gathered the train of her dress, stepped off the platform and made her way toward her vanity.

"Let me do yer face for ya, Sarah," Muiriol said.

"I'm fine. I can do it myself, thanks." Sarah stared into the mirror and started to apply her makeup.

The idea of having a ball thrown for Sarah would have thrilled her Aboveground teenage self. Friends and important dignitaries all gathering for her would have been a dream. Unfortunately for the adult Sarah, her only friend was Daisy. And most do not take kindly to horses indoors. Goodness knows that the horse was probably a better conversationalist.

"Finished," Sarah announced after putting on the last of her lipstick.

"Good. We can take ya down to the grand hall and present ya to the King and Queen and the rest of the Kingdom."

"Fantastic. Just add this night to my list of reasons to die," Sarah teased.

"Don't you go saying stuff like that," Muiriol chastised. "That kind of attitude won't get ya nowhere. Speak like that and all the princes and dukes will stay far away from ya."

"Sounds like a plan," Sarah said while carefully stepping into her low heeled slippers.

"Sarah!" Muiriol chastised. Sarah let out an unladylike snort.

"I'll play along as long as everyone else doesn't bore me to tears," Sarah muttered. Fortunately for Sarah, Muiriol did not hear what she said.

Muiriol walked over to the door to open it for Sarah. "Remember what yer supposed to do, yes?"

Sarah sauntered passed Muiriol, through the door, and down the hall toward the ball. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sarah yelled back while giving a thumbs-up. "Be the living doll they want me to be. Got it covered. Make sure I don't spill any drinks on myself."

Muiriol rushed to catch up with her. _Oh no, _Muiriol thought.

The giant, dark wood doors loomed in front of Sarah. She could hear talking and merriment inside so loud that it was overtaking the string music. Muiriol stood behind Sarah, messing with her hair.

Sarah turned around to bat Muiriol's hand away. "Would you quit that? I'm fine. Everything's fine." Sarah tried to calm herself down as much as Muiriol. She may not care about any of these people, but no one wants to look the fool.

Muiriol walked to the door and the guards opened it enough to allow her to slip through. A few moments later, loud trumpets from inside the hall sounded, and the doors opened. The bright lights from inside nearly blinded Sarah as she started to walk through the doors. She stood at the threshold of the door at the top of a grand staircase as she heard the Court Herald announce her entrance.

"In the name of the King Oberon and Queen Titania, I am honored to announce the return of the heir to the Seelie throne, Her Royal Highness, Princess Sarah of the Faes."

The room erupted into applause and chatter, and if Sarah's mind was not playing tricks on her, some scornful whispers could be heard as well. Ignoring all around her, Sarah carefully walked down the steps toward the two seated royals at the other end of the hall. The leering nobles reminded Sarah of a few walk of shame experiences from college. Regrettably for her now, no pleasure took place before this walk down the aisle.

The ballroom was a massive room that was longer than it was wide. The left side of the room was lined with two-tiered windows that enhanced the impression of grandness and size while the areas between the windows were covered with gilded mirrors. The ceiling was elaborately painted, and the inlaid white marble floor was magnificent. Each of the numerous gilded carvings that covered the walls was a masterpiece in itself.

When she approached the base of the dais, Sarah stopped, breathed deeply, and curtseyed so well the Queen of Hearts would be proud. _I'd rather eat dirt than take more curtseying classes. _

"Rise, child," Oberon's voice boomed throughout the hall.

_Child? God dammit, I'm not a child! _Sarah's hackles began to rise as her body straightened. Breathing deeply through her nose (her yoga instructor would be so proud), Sarah gained her composure and ignored the egotism coming from her father and the obliviousness of her mother.

"Take your rightful seat by our side," Oberon stated while gesturing to the smaller throne to his right.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. It will be my honor to serve the Seelie Court now and in the future," Sarah carefully stated, making certain that she remembered the proper words to say. As she walked up the dais and sat in her chair, the music once again filled the hall. She looked out into the crowd, seeing people drinking, talking, and dancing. Sarah inwardly groaned. _I should give these people a chance. It's not really fair to judge everyone before meeting them._

Her new-ish change of heart still did not stop the mild slump that her back started to form. _I need that drink. _As though someone read her mind, a fae servant presented a tray of a bubbly drink in flute glasses. As though she found water in the desert, Sarah seized a glass, gulped down the drink as gracefully as one could gulp down anything, and placed the empty glass on the tray. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a disapproving look from both her parents. Having the good sense to look ashamed, Sarah reached for another glass while thanking the servant, this time only sipping the drink like the lady she was trained to be. _I wonder if they have stronger drinks around here._

Just as Sarah was planning her escape in search of the land of hard liquor, a tall, dark haired fae approached the dais and bowed before Oberon. Dressed in black trousers, shiny black boots, and a tailored black jack over a white, high collared shirt, he presented an air of superiority and overconfidence that had Sarah craving for an escape. In the opposite direction. Away from him.

"Your Majesties," he said during his sweeping bow. "Your Highness," he said, staring at Sarah with an off-putting smile that caused her to internally squirm.

"Ah, Sarah. This is Prince Kieran of the Elf Kingdom. You remember him, do you not?" Queen Titania said.

Ah yes. Prince Kieran. He was the firstborn son of Aiden, King of the Elves. Although all of the kingdoms under the Seelie Court pledged fealty to King Oberon, the ruler of the Elven Kingdom shared a strong bond with Oberon that other rulers could not match. As for Sarah, she did not remember many interactions with other children when she was younger. Nevertheless, she would always remember anyone who purposefully tripped her in the hallway behind the throne when she was ten. _That jerk. What does he want? And why is he smiling like that?_

"Of course, I remember you, Prince Kieran. Hope you are enjoying yourself this evening," Sarah said, trying her best to be courteous.

"I came to ask Princess Sarah for a dance, if you don't mind," Kieran said, looking to Oberon and then to Sarah.

"Yes. I would love a dance," Sarah lied. What she would actually love to do is to leave the dais and the room entirely. One out of two was good enough for her. Kieran escorted Sarah to the middle of the dance floor as the throngs of fellow dancers parted to allow the couple to pass.

Sarah did not spend much time with other royal faes her age. However, she recalled Kieran when she was younger. The snobbish heir apparent walked around the Seelie Palace as though it was his. Bossing around the staff and poking fun at the brownies, Kieran made sure that all his visits where memorable. One day, Sarah was playing in the garden with Kieran and the Duke of Vargar, the nephew of the King of the Dwarves. Kieran thought it hilarious when he caused Sarah to fall into a mud puddle and proceeded to dump a pile of leaves on her, through the use of magic. Needless to say, Sarah did not harbor much affection for the Crown Prince.

As the musicians began a new song, Kieran placed his right hand on Sarah's back and took hold of her right hand as they both fell into a waltz. _Don't. Step. On. Feet._ Sarah's mind kept playing the mantra over and over in her head to prevent embarrassing herself or her dance partner.

"How many years has it been, Sarah? You look particularly enchanting," Kieran said, breaking Sarah's inner incantation.

"Uh, it's been about twelve years, I guess. Almost thirteen. You look nice yourself," Sarah countered. She never was good at small talk, and no amount of training could save her. And why must people talk and dance at the same time? She looked up to see him staring at her with a look in his eyes that set her in a state of discomfort.

Holding Sarah a bit closer than she liked, Kieran leaned in to whisper in her ear, "We do make a striking couple, don't we?" Kieran continued to lead them across the dance floor.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sarah countered.

"I think we are going to have a lot of fun together, you and me," he purred. Kieran moved his mouth closer to her ear and nipped the small of her neck.

"Hey!" Sarah exclaimed as she attempted to release herself from his grasp. Lucky for Sarah that the music, coupled with the chatter, allowed her outcry to go unnoticed. Bad news was that Kieran had a solid grip, and he had no intentions of letting her go.

"What the hell was that for?" Sarah demanded while still trying to inconspicuously twist her way out of this dance from Hades. Looking around her she noticed her father, sitting on the throne, giving her a stern look. _How could this be my fault?_

Kieran seem to laugh Sarah off. "Don't act demure, Sarah. That type of posturing is for the older generation."

"I'm not acting demure. You bit me, you ass clown. Now, let me go," she hissed.

Kieran's grip became tighter around Sarah's waist. The need to kick him in the balls and her training to not make a scene were warring in her mind. She stopped struggling, if only because she did not want a bruise to form around her abdomen.

"Such language, Sarah. Must be a negative trait you learn from the humans. Abhorrent species, those are. I could teach you how to use that mouth of yours better. I will make you a very happy woman," Keiran droned on.

"First, the one way you could make me happy is not to speak ill of humans. And second, don't speak in future tense. It makes you more obnoxious than your outfit ever could," Sarah countered.

Kieran laughed as though she said the best joke of the night.

"We certainly won't be bored of each other, will we?" he said with the biggest smirk he could give.

"Again with the future tense," Sarah said in an exasperated tone. "You know, if you are this dense when it comes to hearing, I fear for the future of the Elves."

Sarah had to come up with a way to get away from this stubborn, leering fae… and quick.

Just as the music mercifully came to an end, that terrible feeling of forgetfulness, that feeling that she has not experienced since she came back to the Underground, returned and engulfed Sarah's mind.

"Excuse me for interrupting this odd dance, but may I cut in?" asked a voice from behind Sarah.

_Oh thank god someone noticed this insanity. _Sarah thought as she sighed in relief. _Wait a minute. _Her body became rigid, fearful to even turn her head to face the person behind. _Is that… It can't be! What is he doing here?_

Panic. All she felt was panic. Sarah was barely handling Kieran. Jareth was too much now.

"Ah. If it isn't the Goblin King," Kieran said, not trying to hide the disgust in his tone.

"Last time I checked, I had a given name. You would do well to call me by it," Jareth sneered.

"I'm truly shocked that you were invited to such a magnificent event. Seems the Court would have better taste," Kieran taunted.

"I did not come here to speak words with an arrogant boor such as you. I am here to request a dance from the Princess," Jareth spat, making it clear that he wanted no more to do with the prince.

Kieran's hands now encircled Sarah's arms as he brought her against his chest. "No one, the Princess included, wants to dance with you, let alone be seen with someone of your ilk. I suggest you find a servant to spend your time with."

Sarah was outraged yet confused. No way was this fool going to tell her what she can and cannot do. But dance with Jareth? Why did this have to happen now? She could continue to dance with Kieran and find out what other body parts he would start biting. Or, she could dance with Jareth, which, frankly, she had already done before. Disgust for Kieran overruled any fear she had regarding Jareth.

_Better the devil you know, right? _

Sarah not so nicely pushed away from Kieran and turned to face Jareth for the first time in nearly a decade. Dressed in black trousers, black boots, black leather gloves, a white ruffled shirt, and a high collared, three-quarter length jacket of the deepest purple, Jareth, Sarah had to admit, looked smashing.

"I am able to make my own decisions, Elf Prince," Sarah said looking over her shoulder at the affronted Prince. "Thank you for your concern, but I am able to take care of myself." _I hope. _

Jareth gave Kieran a self-satisfying smirk as he offered his arm to Sarah. Sarah looped her arm through his and pulled him to the other side of the ballroom, as far as she could get from that fae, much to Jareth's delight.

Jareth had stood off to the side of the ballroom since the beginning of the evening's events. He had never been one to sneak into another kingdom, but there was a first time for everything. And nothing was going to stop him from seeing Sarah during her first Court appearance. As she walked through the main doors, two things were readily apparent to him. First: the years had done Sarah well. Gone was her teenage awkward non-assurance and youthful anxiety. Although she maintained many of her human traits, she was still a sight to behold that caused Jareth to hold his breath as she made her way to the dias. And second: the royal protocol which masked the unhappiness that was in her eyes did not fool him. Regardless of how well she could hide her true feelings to every royal puppet in this room, she could never fool him.

As the music started, reality hit Sarah as she fully comprehended the fact that she was now dancing with her one time rival. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

"Miss me, Sarah? Still lovely as ever, even in your fae form," Jareth smirked as they started dancing. "I'm sure most here envy your smooth ears."

She was in no mood for any more games. "Listen, that idiot is a creep, and you helped me out a lot back there. But, that doesn't mean we don't have our own issues, and don't act like everything is okay because it's not."

Jareth breathed a heavy sigh. Sarah saw a look of disappointment in his eyes. "Sarah, I appreciate that you would be upset with your trip through the Labyrinth, but I thought that you would be more understanding with our past history…"

"Past history? I don't know why you would think an eleven hour stroll through an ever-changing maze would qualify as 'past history'. But I guess I should be happy that you haven't taken me and thrown me into that trash heap or the bog, which I nearly fell into," Sarah said pointedly. "That wasn't nice by the way."

Jareth brought them both to a stop while the music played and others danced around them. Jareth did not speak. Instead, he took Sarah by the chin to stare into her eyes, searching.

"Looking for something? I doubt you find it on my face. I scrubbed it thoroughly before I came here," Sarah said while swatting Jareth's hand away.

Jareth gave Sarah a small grin. "Still have that charming wit of yours, I see," Jareth taunted. Sarah rolled her eyes, already preparing a comeback in her head. "That tells me they didn't alter too much of your memory," Jareth said. That stopped Sarah in her cynical tracks.

"My memory… what now?" Sarah questioned.

Jareth looked passed Sarah's shoulders and noticed Oberon, flanked by two guards, walking toward the pair.

"Have you forgotten, Sarah? Things are not always what they seem," he leaned in close to mumbled in her ear.

Sarah looked up at Jareth with a questioning look. Observing his distraction, she turned to notice that not only was her father standing directly behind her, but also that the dancing and music had come to a complete halt. _Oh this can't be good._

"King Jareth," Oberon said. "You know, usually when I tell others that I am surprised to see them it is purely fiction, but with you, I must say I am truly surprised to see you."

"And how dull would the world certainly be if there were no surprises?" Jareth answered.

"For many reasons, I am surprised. One of the reasons is that you were not invited. You seem to have a knack for attending events you are not welcomed to. How you found out about this event is something worth finding out," Oberon said while sternly looking at his advisor standing to the side of the guard. Oberon was in no mood to deal with the Goblin King. Granted, he was never in the mood for Jareth.

"Oberon, you should know me by now. I always find things out. I'm just curious that way, fae nature and all."

"Nevertheless, knowing about something and acting on said knowledge are two different things. I believe it is time you should be leaving." The guards that were flanking Oberon moved toward Jareth and stood on either side of him.

"This gala is for Sarah, is it not? I think she should be the one to decide whether or not I am allowed to stay," Jareth said, turning to face Sarah. "Sarah?"

Sarah's anxiety started to rise. She hated to be placed on the spot. This situation was heading south fast. Was Jareth about to be escorted out in front of the entire Seelie Court? How embarrassing would that be for anyone? Wait… does Jareth get embarrassed? But why should she care? Jareth was the one talking nonsense about memories and acting weird as though they were friends. The king had obviously lost his mind. For years, Sarah had wanted to find some sort of closure with the Goblin King, f0r her questions to be answered. But with the glares from her parents and the eyes of every member of Court set upon her, now was not the time. Feeling disconcerted and queasy with what was transpiring, she took a deep breath and, not looking anyone in the eye, she muttered, "I think you should leave, Jareth. It's for the best not to cause a scene. Umm… a bigger scene."

Even while saying those words, she did not believe them. And from the look on Jareth's face, neither could he. With a look of stern disappointment, Jareth turned from Sarah to Oberon to give a low, insincere bow to the King of the Faes. Without so much as a word, Jareth turned to walk out the main doors while Sarah watched with a feeling of regret.

"Thank the gods that miscreant is gone," came the ever annoying voice behind her. Sarah's feeling of shame was quickly replaced with revulsion.

"What do you want, Kieran?" Sarah no longer cared if she came across like the princess she was born and groomed to be.

"A dance," he said while pointing up into the air at the exact same time as the music began again.

_Nope. No more of that foolishness. Dancing only leads to chaos in this world. _"I don't feel like dancing. I do however feel like a drink."

"Let me have the honor of getting that for you," Kieran said while walking toward one of the servers. Sarah did not expect him go get her a drink, but she took the opportunity to walk in the other direction. Snatching a flute from a server's tray, she used the commotion of Jareth's removal as well as the loud music to slip by the revelers and out the side door. Taking large gulps of her drink, she walked down the hallway and tried to remember where the closest balcony was located; fresh air was much needed at this time. She hardly spent that much time in this part of the castle. However, getting lost sounded like a good idea to Sarah right now.

After walking down several corridors, Sarah came to a stop. She slumped against the wall and dropped her head in defeat, letting all the night's confusion and frustration wash through her body. "I can't even find a damn balcony. Everything is hopeless," Sarah loudly bemoaned.

"And still so hyperbolic," came an ethereal voice that floated in the air. Just as Sarah's head darted up at the sound, her chest and waist were encircled by a pair of arms as she was pulled into the wall. Terrified, Sarah struggled in her assailant's arms, throwing her head back and kicking her legs in the air, but the strong grip kept her more or less in place.

"And feisty," said the male voice ground out, himself struggling to contain the wild royal in his arms.

Sarah immediately stopped struggling. "Jareth? What are you doing? Let me go!" She hissed.

"Stop yelling and promise you won't turn your aggression on me, and I'll let you lose," Jareth struggled to say. Sarah was wearing him out fast and not in a way he preferred. Sarah stopped her thrashing. Breathing heavily, she considered his proposition.

"Fine. Whatever. Just let me go," Sarah said frantically. As soon as his arms loosened, Sarah leapt forward and turned toward Jareth. Her hair became loose during her struggle. She yanked the pins out of her hair, causing a cascade of hair to fall over her face.

"What the hell was that all about?" Sarah demanded, running her hands through her hair.

Looking around, she realized that they were out on a balcony. She saw the silent night sky, alight with the stars and nothing but an orchestra of chirping bugs below as background noise. She noticed the area where she was pulled through. Where the doors should have been was just a limestone wall.

"And how are we out on the balcony? And why is there no door?"

"Forgot you're in a place of magic, Sarah? Concealment is one of the easier tricks. Why your father doesn't think well enough to block the use of other's magic in his realm is beyond me. Insufferable, arrogant man. Always believes that he is untouchable," Jareth paced back and forth while he ranted.

"Is there a reason why you dragged me out here?" She said.

"You did want to find a balcony, correct?" Jareth answered.

"I could punch you. I would have found it if you hadn't concealed it. Making me think I've gone mad, which is your fault, by the way," Sarah accused. Jareth looked at Sarah with a genuine smile on his face. Sarah froze for a brief second. Did she ever see him with a true smile? The gesture briefly caught her off guard and an unexpected feeling flowed through her. _Get a hold of yourself, Sarah. _

Sarah walked up to Jareth with her hands on her hips, trying to convey that she was not finding this amusing.

"What's so funny? Are you laughing at me?"

"You were always most humorous whenever you felt most indignant."

"Stop that! Stop acting like we are friends. At what point in our encounter did we become friends? I made a dumb wish, ran the maze, and won back Toby." Sarah ceased speaking. It was the first time since her initial arrival that she said the name of anyone from the Aboverground. She thought of them daily, continually dreaming of the day she could make it back to see them, but she never dared to say their names out loud. Much to her horror, tears began to form in her eyes.

"Shit," she said as she backed away from Jareth and wiped her eyes.

A look of sincere concern came across Jareth's face, another look that took Sarah aback.

"Sarah, what happened?" Jareth asked softly.

_None of your damn business,_ she nearly spat out. But something stopped her. Maybe it was the look in Jareth's eyes or the booze in her system. More likely what stopped her was the fact that no one had ever asked her about anything since she'd been in the palace: not how her day was, how she was feeling, or even what she wanted to do with her days.

Sarah slumped her shoulders and sighed in resignation. "What do you mean by 'what happened?'"

"You're not the same as before…"

"What before? You knew me for 11 hours," Sarah interrupted.

Jareth started pacing back and forth across the balcony mumbling in…

"Goblin? Are you speaking Goblin?" Sarah inquired.

Jareth stopped in his tracks, turned toward Sarah, and gave her another smile, which made her smile, even if it was a nervous smile.

"I didn't realize how good of an ear you had. Most aren't able to recognize it or at least don't care too."

"So, what are you muttering about?" Sarah diverted, not knowing what to do with that compliment.

"You asked why I act as though we were friends. I act that way because we are, or at least were at one point," Jareth claimed.

Sarah scoffed. "Do you get this attached to all those who run your maze? Or do you just have a distorted sense of what a friend is?"

Jareth marched toward Sarah and backed her against the wall. His eyes flashed with anger and something else she did not have enough time to decipher. She could have sworn that his eyes went black for a moment. He dipped his head to whisper into her ear, "I don't take kindly to insults. Be grateful that I care about you more than others, and I want to help you." Blood rushed to Sarah's face, and her legs started to lose their balance.

Sarah pushed against Jareth in order to give herself some space, brushing Jareth off as though he had no effect on her. "Help me how?" Sarah asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Help you get your memory back," Jareth said, placing his hands on either side of her head. Sarah crossed her arms over her chest, trying to show him that she was not intimidated by him or his nearness.

"I already got it back. Bright light, terrible pain, all of it. You're five days late, Goblin King," she answered.

"Don't call me that!" he shouted. Sarah's eyes went wide and her back straight. Evidently, she'd hit a nerve. Attempting to calm himself down, Jareth let out a puff of air and shook his head.

"They messed with your memories somehow, Sarah. I don't know how, but they erased me from your memories," Jareth explained.

"Those around me may be aggravating and self-centered, but why would they mess with my memories. And, why my memories of you?" Sarah asked.

"What better way to have you isolated more than to have you believe that you were always isolated?" Jareth countered.

"Why erase you when they could have made me think that my parents were caring or that I loved being trapped indoors all day? I might be easier to deal with if they did that."

"I don't know. Well, I have my suspicions. I have no real knowledge of the magic or spell used to send you Aboveground as a human. However, I do know about changeling magic and how magic affects faes and humans. To distort the reality of a fae is nearly impossible…"

"But humans have simple minds. Yes, I know. The High Seer told me." Sarah said

"Do you always interrupt others?" Jareth asked. Sarah could not help but chuckle. She found irritating Jareth much more fun when she was not trying to save her brother.

"What I was trying to tell you was, that because a fae mind is more powerful than human, it is nearly impossible to alter a fae memory to think something has happened when it hasn't, which is why they made you human. But to _eliminate_ a memory, however, that takes strong magic, but it can be done. It's also bloody illegal," Jareth said and punched the wall next to Sarah's head.

Sarah jumped and let out a small yelp. Jareth backed away slowly, his right hand covering his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. But, I wonder why you are not as upset as I am about this."

Sarah walked away from the wall and tried to describe her thoughts as succinctly as possible. An upset Jareth was an easily unhinged Jareth. "What do you want me to say? You say a portion of my memories were taken. If you are right about this, how am I to be upset about something that I have no knowledge of? And if you are lying to me, well, then I have no use for your lies, do I?"

"I would not lie to you," Jareth stated earnestly. Sarah started to laugh.

"Don't," Jareth raised a finger in protest. "I may manipulate. I may heavily influence. But, I don't lie. If you thought it through, even you would have to admit that."

_He's right. Bastard._

Sarah sat on the edge of the stone balcony railing. "So, what do you want to do? Schedule a weekly tea time with you? Make new memories? Have it be like the old times? Whatever that was, because I don't remember any of it."

As Sarah was speaking, Jareth took his right hand and placed it to his temple. Closing his eyes, he muttered an incantation as he pulled a bright white, string-like object from the side of his head. When Sarah stopped speaking, she took notice of what he was doing. He held his right hand off to his side. The now elongated string swirled slightly above his hand and formed a ball that turned into a pale yellow crystal the size of a baseball.

"What's that?" Sarah wondered aloud.

"A crystal holding a copy of my memories, specifically, all my memories of and with you," Jareth explained. "With this, you will be able to have the memories that were taken away from you."

Sarah walked up to Jareth and stared at the crystal he held out to her. "Won't they be from your perspective? That's a bit weird. And how do I know you aren't giving me fake memories?"

"Fae mind, remember? Even if I were to try to falsely alter your mind, which I wouldn't, they won't last long in your memory. No longer than a day would the memories last in your head before they fade away and are forgotten forever."

Sarah stared a Jareth for what felt like eternity to him.

"No way," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "What if this is a trick?"

"What reason do I have to trick you?"

Sarah was about to open her mouth when Jareth interrupted her.

"And don't say revenge. You insult me with such a petty accusation."

Sarah thinned her lips, looking back and forth between the crystal and Jareth. Seeing her hesitation, Jareth had to think quickly lest she turn him away again. She may not remember him, but he remembered exactly how to goad her.

"Come now, Sarah. Have you been completely domesticated by the Aboveground and the Court? How sad it is to see your sense of adventure gone. Next thing you know, you'll be eagerly chatting to your ladies-in-waiting about the new china you received from the Elf Kingdom, and how spectacular it will look for your daily afternoon tea," Jareth said with disdain.

Sarah's head snapped to attention, her eyes narrowed as they bored into Jareth's.

_There we go, _Jareth thought.

Without saying a word, Sarah snatched the crystal from his hand. Instantaneously, a bright light wrapped around Sarah as searing pain coursed through her body… again. Sarah passed out and nearly fell to the ground, but she was caught by Jareth who gently led them both to the ground. Cradling Sarah in his arms, Jareth sat on the ground while caressing her hair.

"Oh, Precious, I am so sorry."


	7. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I still own nothing of the Henson Co._

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

_Open my eyes, it was only just a dream_

* * *

><p><em>Nearly twenty-five years ago, King Oberon and his consort, Queen Titania, welcomed their first and only child, a daughter named Sarah. Throughout the Seelie Court, a holiday was declared, and the royalty and nobility of the Court paid homage to the heir to the throne by presenting the King and Queen with various gifts and offerings. Oberon and Titania stood on the dais in the throne room, flanking the bassinet that held their child, in order to greet their guest. The first to walk up toward the dais, the King of the Elves offered a various collection of fine china. Next, the King of the Dwarves presented the child with a vast assembly of silver bowls, jewelry, and tableware. The King of the Centaurs brought large barrels of wine and fine military armor. Several hours passed as dignitaries across the land came forward to give their King and Queen well wishes. <em>

_The room went silent in anticipation of Oberon bringing the gathering to a close. Just as he opened his mouth, the loud sound of heeled boots clicked on the floor. The standing crowd made way for a wild-haired fae who sauntered toward the dais. The fae finally made his way to the base of the dais. He was not followed by courtiers carrying numerous gifts. In fact, it looked as though he had no gift at all. _

"_Goblin King, what a surprise to see you here. And here I always thought such formalities bored you," Oberon said, looking down to Jareth._

_Jareth was dressed in black boots, grey trousers, and a white ruffled shirt with black gloves. Compared to those around him, he was woefully underdressed. But then, Jareth never was into the silk, embellished, and bulky robe look. _

_"Formalities, as well as everyone else here, indeed bore me, but even I could not deny the historic event that has taken place. The Seelie Court finally has an heir. After much trying, I'm sure," Jareth intoned with a smirk and a sideways glance. The room began to swell with murmurs. Titania's face flared red with irritation. _

"_I see you have come empty-handed and with no courtiers with you," Titania stated, withholding her anger. "Have you entered our Court to seek the attention you always seem to crave? If so, I must inform you that the position is filled; we already have a court jester."_

_Jareth seemed unaffected by her words. "I know this may shock you," Jareth said while walking up the dais. "But, unlike all the other dolts here, I did not come here for you. I came for the child." Jareth raised his hand, and, with a flick of his wrist, he created a crystal that started to roll back and forth across the back of his hands. _

"_Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Goblin King, but we already know how to make crystals," Oberon joked._

_Jareth's hands stopped rolling the crystal and scowled at Oberon. _

"_I don't know why you seem to be allergic to my name, but I would appreciate it if you would not use my title as though it were a curse." _

_Ignoring the two monarch's glares, Jareth stepped forward to the bassinet and looked at the wide-eyed child lying inside. Bringing the crystal to the babe's face, Jareth allowed the child to reach for the orb before tugging it out of reach. The raven-haired girl let out a little giggle, causing Jareth to smile. The orb he was holding transformed into a golden teddy bear with a red bow. He placed the toy in the cradle with the child. The babe instantly grabbed the bear and held it close._

"_A toy? Really? The great and terrible King of the Goblins presents the future ruler of the Seelie Court with a stuffed bear?" Titania scoffed. _

_Refusing to acknowledge the Queen's words, Jareth continued to look at the babe. Jareth reached out toward the child and gently stroked the wisps of baby hair on her head._

"_May the gods look down on you in favor, child," Jareth then looked at the royal pair with scorn. "Fates know that your parents won't." With that final proclamation, Jareth turned on his heels and marched out the door, leaving two livid monarchs and a befuddled Court behind him._

* * *

><p><em>A frustrated Jareth burst through a large set of wooden doors. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he turned to walk down the hallway. Not seeing where he was going, he ran into a small body, or maybe, that body ran into him. <em>

"_AH!" yelled the small voice below him. Jareth looked down and saw a small, dark haired girl lying on the ground, her hand clutching a plush animal. _

"_Not watching where we are going, are we?" Jareth said as he knelt down to the floor._

"_My apologies, sir… um… Your Highness?" questioned the girl as she attempted to rise to her feet. "Excuse me, but who are you?" The girl finally rose to her full height, which allowed her to look Jareth in the eye while he kneeled. He let out a light chuckle._

"_My dear, I am Jareth, King of the Goblins." _

"_King?" She exclaimed, and quickly backed away from the fae king while clumsily attempting a curtsy. Her crumpled red dress nearly caused her to fall again as she held out her skirt for a proper bow. _

"_Your Majesty," she drawled out. Jareth smirked at the spectacle the little girl displayed._

"_Come now," Jareth said, grabbing the dropped toy as he stood up. "None of that. So much pageantry for someone so young. Now, what is your name?" he asked, even though he knew the answer. _

_She stood up straight from her curtsy. "My name is Sarah, Princess of the Fae and the heir apparent to the Seelie Court. I'm four years old. Such pageantry is to be expected of me. At least, that's what I am told." The young girl studied the fae king's face as though attempting to memorize him. _

"_You say you are a king? The King of the elves and the dwarves are frequent guests here. Even the Troll and Centaur kings visits every fortnight or so. I've never seen you here before?"_

"_The type of business I do with the Court usually does not allow for frequent visits, thankfully," he said._

"_What business is that?" Sarah asked._

"_You are a nosey thing, aren't you?" Jareth teased. _

_She looked at his hand which was still holding her toy. She held her right hand out and asked, "May I have my bear back, please?" _

_Jareth inspected the toy bear in his hand as though he considered not giving it back. _

"_I'll return your bear, but only if you tell me his name." _

_Sarah's face lit up immediately. "His name is Lancelot. I named him after a human story told by my governess."_

"_Lancelot?" Jareth inquired, raising an eyebrow. "King Arthur's greatest knight whose love affair with the Queen brings about the end of Arthur's rule? That Lancelot?" _

_Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "I liked the name," she deadpanned._

_Jareth threw his head back to let out a large laugh that filled the hallway causing Sarah to look at the double doors nervously. _

"_Shhh! Why do you laugh so loud? What's so funny?" Sarah demanded. _

"_Are you certain you're four? A little brazen aren't you?" Jareth handed the bear to the girl and straightened his gloves._

"_Why did you ask his name? No one ever asks his name."_

_Jareth gave the girl a small smile. "Do you know who gave you that bear, Sarah?"_

_She shook her head, clutching the bear closer to her. "My governess said it was gift, but I don't know from whom. He's the only toy I have. Mother and Father do not like me having toys. They say they are useless things." _

"_Well, then, you are welcome." Jareth crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a self-satisfied smile. _

"_Welcome? He's from you?" Sarah's eyes grew large. "You gave me Lancelot?" Sarah considered the toy bear in her hands as though it were a relic. She looked up at Jareth, walked toward him, and hugged him around the waist the best she could. _

"_Princess?" Jareth asked with concern in his voice._

"_Thank you," she said, not letting go. "You gave me my only friend." _

_Jareth's heart broke as he returned the child's affection. _

_A loud brogue echoed down the hallway. "Sarah! Princess Sarah!"_

"_That's Muiriol," Sarah sheepishly explained. "I might have escaped my lessons. And my governess might be looking for me." Sarah slowly backed away from Jareth and the origin of the yelling. _

"_And causing trouble at such a young age?" _

_Sarah looked toward the double doors and whispered, "Not my fault that the lessons are boring. I wanted a break. So, I took one." _

"_Sarah! Where are ya, child?" The booming voice was getting closer. _

"_Sounds like you better move along if you wish to keep your freedom," Jareth said._

"_Yeah," Sarah said as she moved slowly backward. "Nice to meet you Goblin King. Hope to see you soon." She turned to run down the hall. Taking the first turn to the left, she soon fell out of sigh. _

"_What a precocious thing she is," Jareth said as he walked away._

* * *

><p>"<em>Don't be foolish, Oberon. You know you shouldn't make threats that you have no intention in keeping," Jareth stated, sitting in the chair opposite the King of the Faes.<em>

"_Rest assured, these are not empty threats, Jareth. Tell the Unseelie Court to stand down, or I will not hesitate to march troops on your kingdom," Oberon threatened._

_Jareth let out a small chuckle and opened his arms in a mock surrender. "What makes you think I have any hold over the Unseelies? If I step foot in one of their forests, a draug would not hesitate to rip me to shreds." _

_Oberon slammed his fist on his desk. "Do not play the innocent. Your ties with their King…"_

"_Are no more intricate than the dealings I have with you: just simple commerce transactions," Jareth interrupted. "By the way, if you send troops to my kingdom, consider our trades null and void. You know there is no love lost between my subjects and you. They'll ensure that you'll have a bloodbath on your hands," Jareth said as he stood and made his way to the large double doors. _

"_I would like to hear your explanation to the Court when they discover their ability to become parents ended because their King is a paranoid warmonger," Jareth taunted._

_Oberon also rose from his chair and made his way to a door situated behind him._

"_Have it your way, Goblin King, but when the Unseelies run rampant over our world and the human lands, I hope you will be able to stand the sight of your own face." With that final exchange, each king exited through his respective door. _

_As Jareth entered the hallway, before he could yell any obscenities, he noticed a small child in a light blue dress sitting on the ground across from him, drawing with a pencil on a piece of parchment in her lap. She looked up to notice the wild-haired fae standing across from her. _

"_Good morning, Jareth, King of the Goblins," she said in a singsong voice while returning to her drawing. _

"_Remember me, do you, Princess?" Jareth asked cocking his head to one side and placing his hands on his hips._

"_I remember everyone I see, which actually isn't very impressive. I don't see many people," she explained. "Also, no one could forget that hair of yours." She stopped drawing to look up to give him a sly grin._

"_It seems that cheekiness of yours is still intact. May I sit down?" Jareth pointed to a spot next to the child._

"_Sure. The stone isn't comfortable to sit on though."_

"_If it's not comfortable, then why are you just sitting here?" Jareth asked as he sat down._

"_I'm not _just_ sitting here. I'm waiting for my father. I don't have lessons until this afternoon. So, I wanted to surprise him with my drawing. See?" Sarah held up the pencil drawing of a bouquet of blooming irises. _

_Jareth took a quick glace to the side, realizing that Oberon had no intentions of walking out of the doors Sarah was expecting. _

"_That is a lovely drawing," Jareth said._

"_Thanks. My governess gave me a book of flowers for my birthday last year. I've been drawing from it ever since. Father said he would come see my drawings, but he never has. So, I thought I would surprise him by coming down here." _

"_Birthday, hm? My memory fails me. How old are you now?" Jareth was trying his best to steer the conversation away from the child's absentee parent. _

"_Seven," she answered proudly. "It's been three years since I last saw you. You really don't come here often, do you?_

"_As I'm sure I said before, I only come when I have no other choice."_

"_From the Goblin Kingdom, correct?" Sarah returned to her drawing. "I remember looking on a map of the Seelie Kingdom. No Goblin Kingdom was on the map." _

"_There's more to this world than the Seelie Court, my dear." _

_Sarah's eyes bulged out as she slowly turned her head toward Jareth. "So, you are King of the Unseelies?" She asked as she attempted to scoot away. _

_Jareth gently clasped her arm to prevent an escape. "Not Unseelie," he said, looking her in the eyes._

_Sarah terminated her poor plan to escape. "How can you not be a member of either Court?" she asked. "You have to be a member of a Court."_

"_Says who?" Jareth asked with a smile._

"_Why are your eyes like that?" Sarah had finally noticed his unusual eyes. Jareth released her arm and sat back against the wall._

"_Long story. However, I will tell you that it involves gorges, beginner level magic, and an idiot of a brother." _

"_They're weird," Sarah responded with a giggle._

"_I've always wanted to know what a seven-year-old thought of my eyes. I'm glad I now finally have an answer."_

"_Why are you wearing gloves?" She asked, ignoring his back handed compliment. _

_The smile on Jareth's face fell to a straight line. "That, Princess, is too involved of a story for you at this moment." _

_Jareth hated that he had to be abrupt with the child. But there are some things that she would just not understand. Sarah looked up at the double doors, taking note of how much time had passed. _

"_He's not coming out is he?" she asked, feeling crestfallen. Jareth let out a heavy sigh._

"_Sorry, Sarah, he went out the back doors when I left," Jareth admitted._

"_Back door? Why does he need two different ways to get into his office? Oh well," Sarah said in resignation. "Here. You take it." _

_She handed Jareth her iris drawing as she stood up from the ground._

"_Aren't you as sweet as you are brash?" Jareth took hold of the drawing and placed it in a newly formed crystal. The crystal then disappeared._

"_What did you do?" Sarah said accusingly. Jareth gave her a confusing glance._

"_I sent the picture back to my castle by way of crystal," Jareth narrowed his eyes at Sarah. "It's a simple trick I had already mastered by your age. Why are you so surprised by this?" _

_Sarah shrugged. "I haven't learned how to use my magic. They say I'll learn it later. And I was told that if I try to do it without guidance, I could hurt myself and others. I get by without it."_

_Jareth looked at the child with incredulity and disgust. "What fae, let alone a future monarch, doesn't know how to access her magic?" _

_The hallways filled with loud chimes. Sarah looked out the window to notice the sun's position. "It's thirteen o'clock. I have to go," she said._

"_Lessons, I assume."_

"_Yes. Dining etiquette. I've been learning it weeks now. That many forks shouldn't be allowed on a table. It's confusing," she complained._

"_Sarah!" Muiriol's voice was echoing throughout the halls._

"_I should be going. See you in another three years, I assume?" Sarah asked._

"_You never know, Princess. You'll just have to wait and see," Jareth called out._

_Sarah smiled, turned, and ran, this time, toward the voice calling out for her._

* * *

><p><em>A few days after Jareth's run-in with Sarah, he sat in his office looking over more paper work than he cared to. Just as Jareth had the ever-brilliant idea to forgo his work for another day, in walked his advisor, Avitus, with a letter in his hand.<em>

_Jareth closed his eyes and shook his head. "No. Burn it. Toss it away. I want no more correspondences for the day, or the year for that matter." _

_Avitus ignored his King's irritable attitude, as he usually did, and approached him, holding out the letter. "The letter is from the Seelie Court. I doubt you should be ignoring anything from there, especially considering the meeting you had the other day." _

_Jareth snatched the letter from his advisor's hand and immediately noticed the difference in the handwriting. Letters from Oberon were not written in such loopy, cursive writing. He opened the envelope and started to read the message. _

"_Leave. This doesn't concern you," Jareth said without looking up from the letter._

_As Avitus left the room, Jareth straightened in his chair reading the letter again as an enormous smile etched across his features._

Dear Jareth,

I've never written to anyone by myself before, especially someone who is royalty. I assumed that since you prefer to be called "Jareth" that you want to be addressed that way as well. I still do not know where the Goblin Kingdom is located. I searched the large map here in the library yet still found nothing. However, I was able to talk one of the brownies in the library into sending you this letter (I promised him my desserts for a whole week). He says he has family in your kingdom (if you even have a kingdom).

The reason why I gave up my sweets for a whole week is because I realized that I never sent you a thank you note for Lancelot. Once I was old enough, I was told to write to thank everyone who presented gifts at my naming ceremony. Except you. No one told me how I got Lancelot until you told me three years ago. This note is overdue. So, thank you for giving me my best friend. He is worth more to me than silverware. Who needs more forks? We have so much of it already.

Until I see you again in several years,

Sarah, Princess of the Faes.

_Jareth sat back in his chair reading the letter over and over again. He carefully placed the letter back in its envelope and into his desk drawer. _What an odd yet charming girl, _he thought. Maybe it was time he corresponded more frequently with the Seelie Court._

* * *

><p>"<em>Jareth!" came a yell from behind the Goblin King.<em>

_Jareth turned around to see a now ten-year-old Sarah jogging toward him. Dressed in a riding outfit, she looked as though she and the horse were not on good terms. Looking past her, toward the stables, Jareth noticed that the horse looked in much better condition than its rider. _

"_Sarah," he called back. For the past three years, the young princess and the Goblin King have continued their letter correspondents. Jareth may not be the most sensitive of beings, but he was not about to let a stuffed bear be a child's only friend. The brownie from the library was paid handsomely by Jareth so that poor Sarah would not have to sacrifice her desserts. It was complex, but easier than him dropping by the Court for no reason. _

"_I always thought that the equestrian arts meant that you rode the horse, not constantly being tossed off it," Jareth teased. Sarah did her best to knock the mud off her trousers, which should have been bright white in color, but instead were grey, with large patches of brown splattered about. _

"_Very funny. Daisy is being testy today. I think she's upset that I didn't have any carrots on me," Sarah explained. "I don't think that's reason enough to throw me over the fence." Jareth manifested a white cloth and handed it to Sarah._

"_Thanks," she said as she tried in vain to scrub her face._

"_Still not able to access your magic, I see," Jareth stated with a deep frown._

"_No. Not yet. I've stopped asking. I was told by my thirteenth birthday one of the seers would start teaching me," Sarah said._

"_Nothing like learning magic in time for your engagement," Jareth joked. Sarah gave him a look of incredulity and shoved him so hard that he nearly fell to the ground. _

"_That's not funny!" Sarah shouted. Jareth gained his balance and let out a robust laugh. _

_Sarah stomped her foot. "You're always so loud. Stop laughing!" Finally gathering his bearings, Jareth gave Sarah a smile. Teasing her had quickly become one of his favorite hobbies. _

"_Don't fret, Sarah, I'm sure that your betrothal will be with someone who has all his teeth. Let me know how it goes if you marry a centaur. I always wondered how that worked." That comment earned another shove, this time allowing the shove to push him to the ground. He was tired of standing anyway. _

"_Don't joke about that stuff. I wouldn't put it past them," Sarah lamented. She looked up to one of the windows in the castle and saw Titania glaring down at her and Jareth. The queen was present for only a moment before she left. _

"_Come now, Sarah. They may be useless, but your parents have no reason for such callous actions. You'll have plenty of time to become miserably attached forever to some uppity prince… or possibly a duke. I heard the Troll king's sister just gave birth to a son."_

"_Eww!" Sarah said in disgust. "Trolls are gross. I don't want to deal with the Troll King's subjects. I heard they eat dirt." _

"_Rocks," Jareth answered._

"_What?" _

"_Trolls eat rocks now, not dirt. They would be insulted if you said they eat dirt," Jareth explained._

_Sarah looked at him as though he had two heads. _

"_Long ago, they used to eat the various kingdoms' and the Aboveground's livestock. We all have the current King of the Trolls to thank for that the fact that they don't do that anymore." _

"_Well, thanks for the history lesson, as if I don't have enough of those," Sarah said while joining Jareth on the ground. _

"_Why did you come here anyway? You didn't say in your last letter that you would be visiting the Fae Kingdom."_

"_Emergency meeting of sorts," Jareth said, looking straight ahead._

"_It's true, right? The rumors the staff keeps whispering about. There's going to be a war? With the Unseelies?" Sarah inquired. "It's one thing for my father to be having a meeting with the King of the Dwarves, Elves, Trolls, Centaurs, and even the Giants. But you came here as well. And you never arrive without a cause."_

_Jareth turned to look at Sarah. "Those rumors are overblown. There's not going to be any war. Do you understand me?" _

"_Then why are you here?" Sarah asked. _

"_Making sure the entire Court doesn't lose its mind and do something foolish, like launch itself into battle haphazardly," Jareth stated. _

"_Where would the Goblin Kingdom be in all this? You still haven't told me about your kingdom. All you do is whine about how much Avitus bothers you with work." _

"_Ah, my kingdom's backstory will have to wait for another time," Jareth said._

"_You always say that. You know, one day you'll have to tell me. The library has no mention of you," Sarah said, raising a questioning eyebrow. _

"_All things in good time, Sarah. Although, I am a bit aggravated that there's no mention of me in archives. After all I do for the Court," Jareth mumbled. Sarah rolled her eyes. She never was good at coaxing information out of him._

"_Sarah?" Muiriol said, standing a few meters away from Sarah. "Sarah, the Queen would like you to join her for afternoon tea. Go inside to clean up and meet her in her blue sitting room," Muiriol said. "Good afternoon, Goblin King," Muiriol's tone going flat as she greeted Jareth._

"_Good afternoon, Governess," Jareth said. "Looking ruddy as ever, I see." Jareth flashed his smirk as Muiriol glared at him. _

"_Oh great. What did I do now? She never has tea with me unless she's berating me about something," Sarah groaned. Jareth stood up quickly and held out his hand for Sarah to take. As she rose, Sarah brushed the grass off her trousers. _

"_Never turn down tea, Sarah. The sandwiches alone make up for all the wailing your mother may do," Jareth said._

_Sarah let out a small laugh. "You really are happy with the little things, aren't you? Goodbye, Jareth," Sarah said as she hugged him._

"_No goodbyes, Sarah. Only until next time," he said as he returned her hug._

* * *

><p><em>Jareth paced the walkway of the Seelie Court gardens, his patience wearing thin. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman of medium height on the other side of the hedge fence, walking away from him in a parallel direction. He stalked the stone path toward her and turned left at one of the hedge openings. He stopped along the trail and faced the dark haired woman. She was wearing a beige riding jacket, a light pink, flowing tulle skirt and grey, stone-colored, knee-high laced boots. <em>

"_Jareth?" yelled the woman as she ran toward him._

_His mouth went dry. "Sarah?" Jareth whispered mostly to himself. Sarah caught him around his neck, pulling him into a hug. A lot of time had passed since he'd seen or even heard from Sarah. The last letter from Sarah had arrived shortly after he saw her three years ago. Apparently, the Queen was made aware of the growing friendship between the two and ordered that their correspondence cease immediately. According to Sarah's final letter, she was not allowed to speak to anyone outside the Palace without prior approval from the throne. Since then, he has not heard from her._

_Jareth held her tight while slowly combing his hands through her hair. He surprised himself by how much he missed holding her. He didn't want to let her go. Sarah pulled Jareth back and held him by his upper arms. "Look at you! It's been so long," Sarah exclaimed, smiling. _

_Dumfounded, Jareth said, "Look at me? Look at you, Sarah. Time has done well by you." _

"_Well, thank you." Sarah looked down at the ground, her cheeks blushed. "What are you doing here anyway?"_

"_Seems to be your standard question whenever I show up," Jareth said._

_Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. "Let me guess. You are here because my father is being an idiot, as well as the other members of the Seelie Court."_

_Jareth's face fell. "No. I'm here to figure out if the rumors are true…"_

"_And I thought that finding the source of rumors was my job," Sarah joked. _

_Jareth did not find the situation funny. "Sarah, I'm being serious. Are they sending you away?" _

"_Not away. I'm going to the Aboveground, as a human, apparently," Sarah said._

"_Because of these trivial rumors of war? They have been going on for years. And just how are they going to make you human?" Jareth probed._

"_They're not just war rumors. You must really alienate yourself. The whole kingdom knows about the Unseelie kidnapping plans. I've been on lockdown for months. It's only been in the past week or two that I've been allowed out on the castle grounds. These can't just be idle threats, Jareth," Sarah explained, her eyes wide with anxiety._

"_And the human part…" _

_Sarah shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I still can't do magic. I have no clue how this is supposed to happen." Jareth walked them over to a stone bench and sat. _

"_Is there a reason why you still haven't been taught how to use your magic?" Jareth asked tersely. _

"_Um… I don't know. I asked again about a year ago. Still no."_

"_Wasn't your thirteenth birthday a month ago? Does the Crown not realize how foolish it is to introduce a royal fae to Court that has no knowledge of magic?" Jareth queried. _

"_I haven't been introduced to the Court yet…"_

_Jareth turned to Sarah with a look of stunned aversion. "What?"_

"_I was told that it was inappropriate to have such celebrations right now, with the kidnapping threats. And a few weeks ago, news came that a sluagh ransacked several Seelie villages close to the border. Everyone died. I have to agree that a giant party would be seen as foolish," Sarah reasoned. _

_Jareth's blood began to boil with indignation. "No sluagh attacked the Seelie villages, Sarah. The Unseelies don't give a shit about the Seelie Court…"  
><em>

"_How do you know? You just keep to yourself in that imaginary kingdom of yours," Sarah said._

"_It's not imaginary!" Jareth exclaimed. He caught himself yelling and let out a large sigh. He grasped Sarah's face and brought his closer. "Sarah, the Court is making an enormous and unreasonable mistake. What they would be doing to you is unheard of magic. It could all go horribly wrong." _

"_And that's okay…"_

_Jareth's eyes filled with sorrow. "You could die. You could be human and trapped aboveground forever, forced to live a normal human lifespan. You would be willing to do this for the Court?" Jareth asked in hushed tones. _

_Sarah released Jareth's hands from her face. "Okay, I never thought of it that way, at least not all of that. But I'm not doing this for the Court. I'm doing this for me," Sarah clarified. _

_Jareth just looked at Sarah with a blank stare. _

"_This place is horrible. It's a gilded cage that somehow seems to snatch the air from my lungs. I want to leave. I have no friends. No one I can talk to. If having that means my exile to the Aboveground, then fine. I'm sick of being here."_

"_Sarah…"_

"_Don't say something like 'You'll always have me' or 'one day things will get better'. I can't ask you for any of your time. You're a king. You already have too much to do than to worry about a Princess ignored in her chambers."_

"_And when is this all supposed to happen?" Jareth said, looking at the stone path. _

"_In a few days, I think. The High Seer said it shouldn't hurt and should be quick."_

"_When will you return?" _

_Sarah slumped on the bench. "I don't know. I was told that they would come when they are ready to get me. Whenever that is. How did you know this was happening, anyway?" _

"_Let's just say that certain creatures in the palace have a sworn fealty to the coin rather than the Crown. If your father would do better by them, maybe I wouldn't be able to acquire such knowledge."_

"_A spy? You sent a spy in…"_

_Jareth raised a finger in protest. "I didn't send a spy in, just paid for information. Spies are such high maintenance." _

_Sarah put on an affronted face. "I should have you reported for such acts."_

_Jareth gave a smirk. "Yet you won't. I know you better than that," he whispered as he brushed away tendrils of hair from Sarah's eyes. _

"_Well, I should just to show your pompous ass its place," Sarah said._

"_Language, Princess." _

_Sarah could not resist sticking her tongue out at the Goblin King, eliciting a loud laugh from him._

"_By the way, how are you able to just show up here in the royal gardens?" Sarah inquired. _

"_You would think your father would place some sort of a magical shield around the palace. To answer your question, I just flew in. Even your father doesn't believe his own war and kidnapping plot bullshit enough to place up even the most rudimentary security." _

"_Language, Goblin King," Sarah mocked._

_Loud chimes rang out throughout the garden. Sarah looked up toward the large bell tower. _

_Sarah slowly rose from the bench, and Jareth followed suit. "It's getting late. I should go before someone sees you, and a major political incident breaks out." _

"_I know this may shock you, but I am capable of taking care of myself."_

"_Well, you do that. Stay out of trouble. You seem to have the impulses of an imp," Sarah joked. _

_She went to give him a hug, but Jareth stopped her. The fact that this would be the last time seeing her for a long time, if ever again, hit him. So, he quickly came up with an idea._

"_Wait." Jareth produced a crystal which then transformed into a small red book. He handed the book to Sarah._

"'_The Labyrinth?' This is the maze that surrounds your castle, right?" She quickly flipped through the pages. She looked up from the book to give him a quizzical look. "The book is blank; there're no words. You could have at least added some pictures."_

"_It's mildly enchanted. A story will unfold itself according to your life and surroundings. Take it with you to the Aboveground. A little magical souvenir for your trip there," Jareth explained. _

_Sarah carefully traced the embossed lettering of the book. "I'll be sure to take it with me. I promise. Thank you," Sarah whispered._

_Jareth took Sarah's face in his hand and gently kissed her forehead. "Goodbye, Sarah."_

"_Did you forget, Jareth? No 'Goodbyes'. Only, until next time," Sarah said as she gave him one last hug. Clutching the book to her chest, she walked toward the palace._

"_Goodbye, you precious thing."_


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks to those who have favorited, reviewed, and/or followed the story**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

_This is not a coincidence  
>And far more than a lucky chance<em>

* * *

><p>Several minutes had passed since Sarah took hold of the crystal and fainted, and Jareth sat still on the stone balcony floor holding Sarah across his lap. He gently combed his fingers through her hair while softly singing to himself.<p>

"It's only forever, not long at all," he sang to himself. "Lost and lonely…" Then, a small groan came from the fae in his arms.

"Are you all right, Sarah?"

Sarah slowly raised a hand to her wrinkled brow, her eyes still clenched shut.

"Oh god. I forgot how awful that feels. I'm never doing that again," She complained.

Jareth chuckled. "Yes, well, I forgot how strenuous such magic can be." He ran his gloved hand along the curve of her hip, making small circles in the fabric.

Sarah's eyes went wide with the realization that she was lying across the Goblin King's lap with her head cradled in his arm and his hand stoking her side. She quickly stood up and backed away from Jareth. Sarah grasped the balcony railings due to the consequences of hastily standing up. Her face flamed. Sarah inhaled a shuddery breath and fought back the small tremors caused by Jareth's ministrations. Now was not the time to be distracted by the distracting acts of the dubious Goblin King.

"Don't touch me! Stay away from me," Sarah demanded while gently rubbing her temples, trying to gain her composure. A hurt expression flashed across his face. The cold air that replaced the warm comfort of Sarah across his body was jarring to Jareth's senses.

Jareth let out an exasperated sigh. "And here I thought we were having such a lovely moment. Why so distraught Sarah? Did I make a mistake and show you my fantasies instead of my memories," Jareth teased, trying to lighten the mood.

She cleared her throat. "Very funny," she said as she brushed away the imaginary lint on her dress. "I saw your memories…"

"And you believe me a liar?" Jareth dared Sarah to affirm his accusation.

"I think I have twenty-six hours to determine what I think of you," Sarah answered, slightly wincing at her harsh tone. Jareth stood to his feet and started walking towards her.

"I'm so thankful for your generous reprieve of my character," he gritted though his teeth. "I'll be on pins and needles in the next few days."

"Don't be spiteful. If you didn't care about my opinion of you, why would you bother to go through the trouble of all this?" She pointed toward the illusionary wall.

Running his gloved fingers under her chin, he tilted her head back so she couldn't avoid his intense gaze. "Because the truth matters," he said. "Because Oberon and his minions should be found as the frauds and criminals that they are. And, you'll see very soon, Princess, that you are living with soul sucking vampires who have been using you as a prop from the day you were born." Sarah slapped his hand away, refusing to be affected by his actions.

"Vampires? I didn't think they were real," she countered.

Unfortunately, Jareth was no longer in the mood for any type of jocularity. He knew that his temper could at times get the better of him, especially when it came to Sarah, but she just was not listening to reason.

Jareth crossed his arms and frowned at her. "This isn't a joke, Sarah."

"And just exactly how am I to be used as a prop. If anything, I'm more of a collector's item: staying enclosed except for special occasions," Sarah said as she gave a mock curtsey.

Several voices from inside the palace could be heard getting closer.

"Have you seen Princess Sarah?" asked a female voice.

"No. Last I saw, she was in the ballroom," answered the male voice.

"Muiriol said that she walked out a little while ago. Just keep your eyes open. She might be lost. She doesn't come down to this part of the palace often.

"Well, now it looks like a search party has been sent out for me. I should go, and frankly, you should too. You were already told to leave earlier," Sarah said.

"Thanks to you, I might add," he muttered.

"Hey! That was not my fault. You were causing a scene," Sarah accused, arms crossed. "Also, you weren't even invited."

"Princess Sarah!" Various yells rang through the hallway.

"Why must everyone insist on yelling, like I'm a dog?" She complained.

Jareth gave a lopsided grin. "Probably because you are to them. I've heard dog sitters get in trouble when they lose the family pet," he answered as he leaned back on the stone railing.

"Screw you!" she snapped, tears forming in her eyes. "That's not nice. Just leave me alone. Go home and torment your goblins."

Jareth had gone too far, and Sarah wasn't going to hear these annoyances anymore. Sarah turned and marched toward the fake wall. Pausing for a second, she reached out to check if the wall was solid. Confirming that it was not a real wall, she strolled through leaving an enraged Jareth alone on the balcony.

He nearly had half the mind to storm after her and shake her until she believed him. How dare she not believe him after all was shown to her. To disbelieve him and all he showed her was to believe the propaganda of the Seelie Court. Once again, he did so much for her only to be standing alone without any gratitude. Lest he be caught where he should not be, Jareth dissolved the wall illusion, transformed into his owl form, and flew back to his castle.

When Jareth made it back to his castle, he transformed back into his fae form. Looking around, there were several dozen goblins passed out, as usual. However, at this point in time, he was in no mood to even have them in his presence regardless of how quiet they were being.

"Get out! All of you!" Jareth commanded.

The fact that he was to spend another night at the castle alone was awful enough. He sure as hell was not going to spend it in the company of goblins. Every goblin instantly stumbled to its feet and fled the room without question. Jareth walked up to his throne and collapsed in his chair. As though the Fates thought he needed more agitation, a small nagging thump developed in the back of his head.

"What the hell do you want now?" Jareth asked the empty room.

"Can't a brother visit his sibling? I know how lonely that castle could be," answered the disembodied voice.

With a frustrated groan, Jareth snapped his fingers and in flew an osprey.

"Going for a night flight this evening? That seems so unlike you," Jareth said, now glaring at his brother Lochlan.

"I should ask you the same thing. Since when have you taken to Seelie Court visits at night?" Lochlan asked with a knowing smirk on his face. Jareth turned his head away, not willing to look at his brother let alone answer him.

"Let me guess, you were not greeted warmly by your precious Princess. What a startling revelation," Lochlan said. "And here I was just about to pick out bonding flowers."

Jareth turned a steely glare at his brother, his eyes flashing black and then back to normal. "How many times do I have to tell you to not speak of things you don't understand? Most of this is your bloody fault," Jareth accused.

Lochlan looked sincerely bewildered. "And what the hell did I do to deserve such scorn?"

Jareth jumped off his throne and stalked toward his brother. "If you kept a closer reign on your subjects…"

"Don't you dare try to blame me. This tactic did not work twelve years ago, and it is not going to work now. What would you have me do about the slander spewing from Oberon? The Court never would believe my word that my sluaghs didn't kill those people. I see no reason why I should waste my time speaking to those who won't listen."

Jareth pointed an accusatory finger at his brother. "Your silence made Oberon's lies believable…"

"To whom? To you? I'm the epitome of evil. Remember, Jareth? Or have you forgotten the role we both play in the eyes of the Court. Sometimes, I think that your isolation blinds you to all that's going on. To them, I'm out to rape and pillage. No amount of negotiation will change their minds. But you…Sometimes, I wonder if you really think there was a valid kidnapping plot from me," Lochlan said. "If I were to go after a high ranking royal, I would go after Oberon, not meddle with a sheltered princess. What the Court thought I would do to her is beyond me. Oh wait… I have an idea." A brief yet sultry image flashed through Lochlan's mind as a wicked sneer grew across his face.

Lochlan turned his eyes to his brother's face which displayed Jareth's murderous intent. Jareth fired a crystal at his brother that barely missed and struck the wall behind him leaving behind a blown out hole with smoldering ash around it. Lochlan turned back into an osprey and flew out the window as a flash of lightening from his brother nearly hit his wing.

* * *

><p>After convincing Muiriol that her court absence was due to feeling ill, she was allowed to leave the ball early and make her way back to her chambers alone without the constant humming of the ballroom and the yammering of a certain Goblin King. Sitting at her vanity, she laid her head down on its surface and closed her eyes to will the headache to go away. She was not sure whether the pain was crystal induced or the party goers, but right now, she wanted to deal with neither.<p>

_Friends with Goblin King_, she thought. _How absurd. At least, he didn't want to kill me. Or maybe he does, and this is part of his plan_._ No, that can't be it. If this is part of an assassination plan, it would be a stupid plan._ _He should have his crown taken away if this is a plan to kill me._

Sleep. She needed sleep. Forget the bath and just go straight to bed. _Forget the Goblin King. His lies will be exposed this time tomorrow_. Sarah walked to her closet and changed into her nightgown, leaving her custom gown on the floor. Climbing into bed, she buried under the covers and grabbed Lancelot as she did every night when she lived in the palace. Staring at the toy, she struggled to figure out where she got the toy from. There is just no way it came from the Goblin King. That idea was too impossible for Sarah to believe. Clearly, he thought it funny to mess with Sarah. From their brief encounter, Sarah could deduce that he had an odd sense of humor to say the least. Why he wanted her to believe that he was her friend was not fathomable to Sarah. But she would find out. This time tomorrow, those pesky "memories" would be gone, and she can find out what the Goblin King is really up to, and why he would conjure up such an elaborate scheme.

She just needed to sleep.

The sun beamed through the stained glass in Sarah's chambers. Birds could be heard outside, and a sleeping princess could be found lying supine in her bed. Suddenly, Sarah's eyed opened wide.

"The notes," Sarah said to herself. "The notes!"

If Jareth was telling the truth, there would be notes, and she would have kept them somewhere safe. Even in her human form, Sarah always kept letters people wrote her, occasionally reading them whenever she started to miss the person.

She sat up straight in her bed and noticed the sun's position: it was the early afternoon. She usually would have been woken up hours ago. A white piece of folded paper on the vanity caught Sarah's eye. She got out of bed and moseyed toward the vanity. Grabbing the paper, she read the note and a smile etched across her face. Apparently because Sarah "felt unwell", her parents allowed her the day off to rest. Why did she never think to lie about her health before? That fact could have been helpful years ago. Think of all the lessons she could have missed.

_Focus on the real issue,_ she thought. _Back to the notes. _If there are notes, she must have hid them which now would be hidden from her as well as others. _The closet!_

Sarah rushed to her closet, almost tripping over her disregarded dress. Kneeling to the ground, she moved her shoes to the side and carefully brushed her hands over the wall that separated her closet from her bathroom.

"Come on. I know you are somewhere around here," Sarah said as she lightly knocked on each limestone brick along her wall when she finally came to a hollow sounding brick.

"Gotcha!" She smiled as she slowly lifted the limestone from its set in place. Why the limestone was like this, she never knew. But she remembers playing hide and seek with Muiriol when she was five and finding this hollowed portion of the wall. Looking inside, her face fell and her blood ran cold when she noticed the hole was not as hollow as she expected. The hovel was packed full of white paper.

Reaching in, her trembling hands pulled out all the paper she saw. Envelopes. Several stacks of envelopes were shoved inside the wall. Nothing was written on the outside of the envelopes. She opened a random envelop and read the letter inside. It was a message from Jareth to Sarah wishing her a happy ninth birthday and regretting his inability to send her a proper gift. The next letter she saw detailed how Jareth added another thoroughbred stallion to his stables and named it Lotus because of Sarah's love of flowers. Another from Jareth listed his advice on the proper technique to better control Daisy so Sarah would not fall so much anymore. Sarah felt her throat close up and angry tears stained her eyes. Sarah sat in her closet reading through every letter, becoming more infuriated with every letter she read.

_He was right. That pompous ass was right,_ Sarah thought. _Ugh. He'll never let me live this down. Oh god. I treated him so terribly. _

The weight of the knowledge that the memories she was given were not complete hit her in the gut. Someone had messed with her memories. Pressing her fingers to her temple, she tried to gain control over vertigo that threatened to overcome her senses. She started breathing deeply to calm her nerves: _in through the nose and out the mouth_. Sarah crawled over to her still packed bag and placed the letters in the bag. She heard two knocks on the chamber doors before they opened.

"Sarah? Are ya awake? I brought ya some lunch, my dear," Muiriol said as she entered the room. Sarah tried to quickly compose herself, wiping away any trace of her tears. No amount of lying could account for her exiting her closet a nervous wreck.

"I'm here," she called out as she made her way to the closet door. "I just woke up and was about to take a shower."

"Just woke up, eh? Ya must not be feeling any better. Well, I brought ya some soup and some fruit." She placed the tray of food on a small circular table near the glass window. "Sit down and eat. I'll start drawing your bath."

Sarah walked over to the table and sat down in the high back chair, not really wanting to eat. She heard Muiriol start the water in the bathroom. Sarah never understood why she insisted on running the water for Sarah's bath. She does have two capable hands of her own.

"Muiriol, why did father insist Jareth leave last night?" Sarah asked while idly popping grapes into her mouth.

Muiriol came from the bathroom toward Sarah and sat in the chair opposite her. "Now, why do you care about a rapscallion like him? And you know better than to be so casual with names."

"Rapscallion? That's an odd way to describe someone." Sarah raised her eyebrows at the odd description. "Why is he considered a _rapscallion_?" Sarah asked, trying to play naïve.

"He ain't ta be trusted, that's all. His ties to the UnSeelie make him suspicious. Why the King receives audiences from him, I won't ever know. Someone like that shouldn't be allowed near the future heir to the throne. That I do know. Enough talk about that fae, eat your soup," Muiriol instructed.

After Sarah finished picking at her food, she went into her bathroom to get cleaned up. Running her hand through the water, she found it still hot.

_A magic palace does have its uses, _she thought as she slipped beneath the water of her large claw footed tub.

Sarah closed her eyes as she struggled through all the information she uncovered. She told Jareth she would not believe him until a full day had transpired. However, after she found the letters in the wall, the evidence pointed more toward the fact that Jareth was right: someone messed with her memories. Someone did not want her to have any memory of her limited time with Jareth.

_But why?_

Why would they not want her to speak to him anymore? Their relationship seemingly consisted of writing to tell each other mundane stories about their mutually privileged lives. In Sarah's mind, no threat was ever posed by his presence in her life. Sarah struck the surface of the water in frustration. If she had her own recollections of Jareth instead of relying on his memory, she would not be in this predicament. What is it about Jareth that would make them want to erase him from her memories, but not enough to block him from the Court or declare war against him? If he was such a danger, he should be treated as one. So many questions clouded her brain, starting to induce another migraine.

_Dammit!_

Enough was enough Sarah decided. She stepped out of the tub and unplugged the drain. Grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her, she made her way to the closet to change. Eyeing over her wardrobe, she decided that she was tired of wear dresses. Going through her bag, she pulled out a pair of her jeans and a long sleeve grey shirt. Titania abhorred her clothes from the Aboveground. But right now, Sarah really did not care what her mother thought. So much so that Sara did not even bother to dry her hair first. Oh, yes, Titania is going to be upset. Then again, Titania was upset by everything. If Sarah's memory served her right, which now it did not, she has only seen her mother smile once, and that was at the expense of a poor server who tripped during dinner. Sarah's mind wandered to one of the letters she received from Jareth. He wrote that Titania's face froze in its present state after a cold wind brought the stench of Trolls' breath several millennia ago.

Walking out of her closet, she noticed that Muiriol had already left with the empty tray. Slipping on her flats, she walked out of her chambers. Where she was going… she did not know. That could be a problem. Best place she could go to find anyone in the middle of the day was her father's study.

Sarah walked down the hallways of the palace. As Sarah neared her father's study, she heard the low rumblings of conversation coming from a nearby room. She hugged the wall with her back and crept closer to the door. The heavy wooden door was open only a fraction of an inch, but that was enough to allow Sarah to hear the conversations going on inside. The discussion sounded heated, and all the voices sounded familiar.

"…ridiculous. There's no need for such actions," came the first voice, which sounded like Rhys, King of the Dwarves.

"And why would there not be? She's isolated and has no one but her parents and that governess of hers." The dissenting voice chimed in. This voice most definitely belonged to Aiden, King of the Elves.

"Why must the poor girl's life be more staid than it is…?" King Rhys asked.

"Arranged marriages are not considered outside the norm. Why are you acting as though this practice is erratic?" Oberon asked, his booming voice unmistakable to Sarah's ears.

_Arranged what?_

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you all enjoyed. **

**Working on Chapter 8. Coming soon...**


	9. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Just writing a little story._

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

_Rebel, Rebel_

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><p>"In my opinion, she has been more than understanding of all that has occurred. She left her home here and went to be a human for over a decade. The least you could do is allow her to choose her own mate, or at least possibly delay this action. She's barely been back for half a fortnight," King Rhys explained.<p>

King Rhys of the Dwarves was an average height fae, who was known to dress in simple clothing. He kept his salt and pepper hair short and, unlike most male faes, wore a close cut beard; presumably to fit in among the dwarves who tended to wear them.

"How lovely of you to insert yourself as a third parent?" came the distinct drawl of Titania.

_Mother? Why is she there? _Sarah thought. _She never deals with policy discussions. _

"If I may ask," inquired the baritone voice of the Cillian, King of the Giants. "Why is this marriage still planning to happen? There was no war. Why should Aiden's progeny be awarded as the next King of the Fae? Prince Kieran is borderline useless."

King Cillian of the Giants was a large fae in every sense of the word. If his height did not intimidate those who met him, his massive girth and sourly disposition would do the trick. His waist-long, red hair cautioned those around him of his blistering temper.

"Because, King Aiden has used his time and resources to help me these past years. Additionally, as Sarah becomes older, her insubordinate nature has only become more prominent with time. It will be more difficult to restrain her. Kieran will surely keep her occupied," Oberon explained.

King Aiden. To Sarah, he was her least favorite of the monarchs who stalked the Palace walls, and not just because he spawned an asshole with legs. A tall lithely fae with shoulder-length, brown hair, Aiden always presented a smug temperament to those around him. Sarah thought he was pious because he was around elves all the time. But after meeting several elves, Sarah determined that Aiden just like to walk around with a stick up his ass.

"Is she that bothersome that she needs to be controlled? And what exactly have you done, Aiden, to deserve such a reward?" King Rhys asked.

"That is none of your concern," Titania interjected.

"Like hell it isn't!" King Cillian interjected, slamming his fist to the table. "This would disrupt the standing of the Seelie Court. Every Kingdom would now be subservient to the Elf Kingdom. The citizens of our kingdoms would not stand for such an upheaval."

Suddenly, a shouting match erupted among the monarchs, minus the voice of Titania. She always did have a skill for not getting her hands dirty.

While the shouting continued, Sarah sat on the floor next to the barely a jarred door. Attempting to calm her nerves, she ran her hands up and down her upper arms trying in vain to stop the goose bumps.

_What the hell was happening? _

Having inattentive parents was one thing, but to marry her off to the highest bidder was another.

_And why? To control me? And to Kieran? He's horrible!_

She was not trying to burn the palace down. She did well in her lessons, even though she hated most of them. She always believed her parents were grooming her for the throne, not as a consort. Has she been a constant problem for them? As the questions swirled through her mind, heavy tears fell down Sarah's face. Those fools for parents don't deserve such an action. Wiping the tears away with the sleeve of her shirt, Sarah willed herself to stop crying.

They considered her a burden that needs to be controlled and maintained like a weed in a garden. Sarah will show them exactly how much of a pain she really can be. She staggered to her feet and stood in front of the door. Taking a deep breath and saying a silent prayer to the Fates, Sarah opened the door and rushed into the room of arguing monarchs. Well, former arguing monarchs. As soon as she walked in, the room came to a standstill.

Titania rose to her feet, her gown swooshing around her as she left her chair. "What gives you the impression that you are allowed to enter this room? And what are you wearing?"

_Oh. There's that face. She has such a good scowl._

Sarah looked down at her clothing, forgetting that she was wearing her Aboveground clothing. "I'm wearing clothes," Sarah said matter-of-factly. "And I belong in here since it is my future you are discussing," Sarah said, not losing eye contact with Oberon.

Oberon's face was etched with shock. "How much of this conversation did you hear?"

"Enough. Apparently, I'm clearly out of control and so much of a drain that I am to be married off to someone I barely know," Sarah's voice rose the more she spoke. "I'm not some prize to be won. I can be an effective queen on my own. Isn't that what I've been training for all my life?"

"Sarah, do not speak about things you do not understand," Oberon's voice growing dangerously low. Sarah was unfazed.

"Things I don't understand? Yeah, there are things I don't understand," she said, indignant. "For example, why I was sent Aboveground when there was no war? Why I'm not able to visit the Aboveground? Why I'm not being taught by a seer to learn my magic like any normal fae? Why I'm kept in the palace and not allowed to leave its grounds? Why I'm not…"

"SILENCE!" Oberon's bellow brought Sarah's list of complaints to a stop. Oberon walked over to Sarah to stand in front of her, looking down his nose. His hand reared back as his hand hit Sarah hard across the face.

"The last time I checked," he spat, "I was the King of the Faes and the Seelie Court. I take no nonsense from anyone, let alone my daughter."

Sarah grabbed the side of her face, certain there was a forming bruise. Her blood ran cold. Words could not describe how stunned she was that her father just laid hands on her. Many things could be used to describe her parents, but Sarah never would have used the phrase "physically abusive". Her eyes darted back and forth between Titania and Oberon, the former looking unconcerned about what the latter was doing.

"If you value the little freedom you still possess, you will head to your chambers without ever speaking a word of this again. Learn your place, child," said Titania.

Sarah stood still, conflicted: part of her wanted to run crying from the room, unable to understand why this was happening to her; the other part of her wanted to lash out, scream, kick, bite, draw blood, and defend herself against the monsters she called parents. Unfortunately for those in the room, she chose the second emotion.

Sarah's breathing increased. She could hear her heart beat in her ears. Sarah stood tall, her hands clenched at her side. Sarah body felt like it was overheating, and her vision began to blur.

"No," Sarah grounded out through her teeth.

"Excuse me?" Titania said with a look of sheer outrage on her face.

"I said 'no'!" Sarah yelled.

The room immediately began to shake, and Sarah was knocked to the floor. Her body heat normalized and her vision returned. She scrambled to her knees to notice everyone in the room was either lying on the floor or on the wooden table.

_What just happened? Are they dead? Am I dead? I hope this isn't the Fade because I would like my money back. _

Sarah stumbled to her feet and rushed to Titania who was lying on the ground her face blocked by her cascading hair. Sarah checked her breathing.

_Still alive._

She went over to Oberon whose head was on the floor.

_Still breathing as well. _

Panic rushed through Sarah's veins as she frantically ran her hands though her hair.

"What the hell?" Sarah squeaked out.

She may not have known what happened, but she did not want to be here when everyone woke up, especially after the assault she just suffered. Sarah ran toward the door and opened it to find Muiriol on the other side, her eyes wide with shock. Muiriol took a quick peek into the room to see everyone passed out.

"I don't know what happened. Muiriol, you have to believe me…"

"I heard everythin', child. Come," Muiriol said while grabbing Sarah's hand, dragging her away to the North Wing of the palace.

"Where are we going? What are you doing?" Sarah rambled off.

"We have got to get you out of here," Muiriol stated.

"How much did you hear?"

"All of it. I came lookin' for ya. Couldn't help but hear with all that yellin'. And then the Palace shook. Don't know what that was about. And it don't matter neither," Muiriol explained as she twisted and turned the two of them through the hallways. Coming to the door to Sarah's bedchamber, Muiriol opened it and shoved Sarah inside.

A junior member of the palace staff came walking by and Muiriol stopped him.

"I found the King and Queen passed out in the conference room. Have the guards go check on 'em. I'm checking on the Princess in case there has been an attack," Muiriol ordered.

The poor elf's eyes went wide with fear before turning to run down the hall, yelling for guards. Muiriol walked into Sarah's bedchamber to see her sitting on her bed and staring at the floor.

"What are you doing with yourself, just sittin' there? Get up! We got to get you out of here," Muiriol said in frenzy.

"Why are you doing this? You have always been loyal to the Crown," Sarah said in a small voice.

"And you aren't part of the Crown? I've seen enough of this, enough of seeing you miserable. I don't know what you did back there, but whatever it is, it's plenty powerful. Lashing magic out on the monarchs of the Seelie Court? There are going to be repercussions for that, ya know."

"I don't even know what happened! Or even how it happened. Muiriol, you said I should go. But where am I going?" Sarah said as she followed Muiriol to her closet.

"Far from the palace, that's where yer are going. You said you spent many times outdoors when ye were Above. Well, my dear, that's going to come in handy now."

"And then what? I'm going to be an outlaw royal for all my life? My parents are in the early part of their fourth millennium, it will be at least another two before they decide to move on to the Fade. And you know better than me that they won't retire," Sarah said.

"Sarah, I don't got all the answers," Muiriol stopped her pacing to grab Sarah by the arms. "But I do know that you can't be here, at least not for a while. Now, we don't have much time. You need to pack." Muiriol moved to the closet and started shifting through Sarah's dresses.

"I'm not wearing dresses while camping in the woods," Sarah protested. Looking down in the corner, she realized that her bag still had all her Aboveground clothes inside. She never unpacked it. Reaching down to grab the bag, Sarah raised it to cross it over her body.

"I'm packed and ready," Sarah said causing Muiriol search to halt.

"You can't just go like that," Muiriol objected.

"Can't have my escape being weighed down," Sarah explained.

Muiriol let out a defeated sigh. "All right. C'mon." Muiriol marched out the closet with Sarah behind her.

"Wait a minute!" Sarah yelled as she went to her bed to grab Lancelot. "Leave no man behind or bear. Whatever," Sarah said with a smile.

"Oh, how I'll miss that smile," Muiriol began to tear up.

"No. No. No. Don't cry," Sarah grabbed Muiriol in hug. "I'll see you again; I promise," Sarah's eye beginning to shed tears. "So, how I am I to get out of here?"

"Everyone will be at the East Wing looking after yer parents and taking them to the healers. Go out the West Wing to the stables. Quickly tact up Daisy and get out of here," Muiriol said.

"And what about you?" Sarah asked with concern.

"Well someone has to stay behind and come up with a convincin' lie to keep 'em off your trail. I may be able to convince 'em that you are hidin' in the palace somewhere for a good week. You were always good at hidin' where you ain't supposed to be," Muiriol said.

"Thank you, Muiriol," Sarah said as she made her way to the door.

As Sarah walked through the door, Muiriol called out into the empty hallway, "Whatever you do, dontcha go south. You'll run into those UnSeelies if you do."

Sarah ran down the hall and took the first set of stairs. After travelling down the three set of stairs, she found herself on the ground level of the palace but still in the North Wing. The first thing she noticed that it was quiet. Really quiet. The main kitchen and dining areas were on this level and the area was always a bevy of activity. Muiriol was right. Thank the Fates for diversions.

Sarah looked out toward the stables and the surrounding area to ensure that there was no one. Off to the left, she noticed a brownie tending to one of the many flower gardens. If she ran, she would probably catch his attention. Even though it went against her instincts, Sarah walked toward the stables, resisting the urge to run. When she was about fifty feet from the stables, she was done resisting and sped up her gait into a full run.

Inside the stables, she realized that she was all alone. Sarah raced over to Daisy's stall, located on the opposite side of the stables. Daisy was a strong Irish Draught horse that happened to be quite large for mare at sixteen hands high. Sarah opened the door to Daisy's stall in order to tack her, when Sarah realized that all the equipment was must have been placed in the tack room. She had a habit of keeping the tacking equipment hanging outside Daisy's stalls, but the stable hands had a terrible habit of putting it away.

"Damn it!" Sarah yelled in frustration. Tacking took fifteen minutes when it was right in front of her. She did not have time to gather it out of separate room.

"Looks like we are going to have to do this without a saddle or reins. This is going to be painful… for the both of us." Sarah led Daisy out the backdoor of the stables.

"All right, Daisy, stay still," Sarah weakly commanded as she flung her bag onto her back. Getting on top of this giant horse would not be easy without a saddle, especially since Sarah had never rode a horse without one. Sarah hoisted herself up on the horse's back, less graceful than she cared to admit.

"Ugh. Crap," Sarah groaned as she finally righted herself on Daisy's back. Sarah moved forward on the horse and grabbed a hold of her mane. She squeezed her heels into Daisy's side, and Daisy dashed out into the field, almost accidentally bucking Sarah off her back. Sarah wagered that Daisy was ready to leave as much as see was.

_Where to go? Where to go?_

Heading east would have her running into every kingdom in the Seelie Court. Daisy was already sprinting west. So, west it is.

Several hours passed before Daisy finally came to a stop by a stream, surrounded by woods. Sarah was hunched over using the mane as an impromptu pillow.

"Oh, shit. I'm sore," Sarah moaned as she straightened her back. Daisy let out a loud neigh and stomped her front hooves against the ground.

"I'm sorry. Sorry," Sarah said as she more or less fell off the horse. "I know it can't be easy carrying me around. Although, it _is _your job."

Daisy trotted closer to the stream and started to drink. The sun was setting, and Sarah realized that she had no food on her. Sure, Daisy had the grass on the ground, but she had nothing.

"Oh, Daisy, why didn't you remind me to bring food?" Sarah complained as she slowly descended to the floor resting her head against her horse's leg.

Daisy finally finished drinking and lied down on the grass which allowed Sarah to use her as a large muscular cushion. Beggars can't be choosers. Sarah's eyes stared to close as Daisy's chewing of grass, a white noise to sleep to. A faint sound in the distance brought Sarah out of semi-consciousness.

"What's that?" Sarah said sitting up straight. Daisy ignored Sarah and continued to eat the grass. Looking into the distance, Sarah noticed a faded black mist on the horizon. She strained to listen to the noise that initially startled her awake. Wailing and moaning could be heard getting closer to Sarah and her horse.

"Oh shit, Daisy," Sarah murmured. "I think we went too far south. That's a sluagh, and we need to go. _Now_."

Sarah unceremoniously climbed on top of Daisy as the horse rose to all four legs. Grabbing Daisy's mane, Sarah steered Daisy north. Daisy started to gallop full speed causing Sarah to hold the horse by the neck. Just as they approaching the tree line, a black cloaked figure appeared in front of them, causing Daisy to abruptly come to a halt throwing Sarah off her back.

Sarah lay splayed on her back on the grass staring straight up at the sky, groaning in pain. The orange sky grew darker as the shadowy figure that caused her literal downfall stood over her.

"What do we have here?" The figured crouched next to Sarah as he moved her hair from her face. "I should be honored. It's not every day that a member from the Seelie Court visits me. And a Princess no less," he said as he looked her up and down, "Even if you are dressed in men's clothing."

Sarah raised herself on her forearms, unable to bring herself to fully sit up. She quickly took in the stranger next to her. Clothed in all black with black boots, he was covered with a hood that obscured his face except for the long white hair that rest on either side of his shoulder.

"All right. Clearly, you know who I am. Who are you?" She asked hoping that he could not sense how terrified she really was. He removed his hood. The first thing Sarah noticed was his black eyes.

_Ok. I'm talking to a dark fae. Great._

The next thing she observed was his broad Cheshire cat smile and his long pointed finger nails.

_An Unseelie who wants to kill me. Even better. _

Without answering her, the fae took hold of both her upper thigh and her waist. A dull purple light started to emanate from his hands. All fear left Sarah as she quickly sat up and grabbed his wrists.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

The fae let out an irritated grunt. Obviously, he was stronger than Sarah, but her thrashing was annoying him.

"Cease your movements!" he yelled. "I'm trying to help you, exhausting female."

Sarah froze her movements.

"Help me?" The light around her legs grew brighter and brighter.

"You were just thrown from a horse," he explained as he shot a look to the animal that returned to eating grass as though nothing happened. "It's impossible for you to have landed without hurting yourself, especially running bareback. Going somewhere in a hurry?"

The purple light was now gone, and Sarah realized that she felt better than she had in days.

The fae tilted his head looking at Sarah's face. "I'm guessing that bruise on your face did not come from the fall."

He reached for Sarah's face, but she scurried away from him and scrambled to her feet. This odd fae was asking too many questions.

"Long story. It's quite boring really." She said, brushing foliage off her jeans. "You never said who you are, by the way."

The dark fae slowly rose to his feet. "I've forgotten my manners. I'm Lochlan, King of the UnSeelies. And, you are trespassing," he said.

Sarah let out an anxious laugh. "I didn't… I didn't mean to. I think I fell asleep on my horse. I wasn't paying attention. We must have gone farther south than we planned. I didn't mean to intrude or cause any trouble." Sarah rambled off every possible excuse for how she ended up in an UnSeelie forest.

_Please don't kill me!_

Just as Sarah started to list off more arbitrary excuses, her stomach let out a loud grumble. Lochlan let out a robust laugh, a laugh that sounded very familiar. But she didn't have time to consider such frivolities.

"I assume that bag of yours doesn't have any food," he said, pointing to the ground where her bag was.

"No," Sarah said as she pulled the bag over her head. "I wasn't thinking that far ahead. Didn't have much time."

Lochlan produced a dark crystal and tossed it to Sarah.

"Catch." he said.

On instinct, Sarah haphazardly caught the crystal with both hands, which then turned into a large knapsack. "What is this?" She asked as she opened the bag.

"Food for you and that beast of yours, mostly you. Seems the horse is doing just fine," he said while looking at the horse, which was still grazing. Inside the sack were several carrot sticks, two apples, and a loaf of bread.

Sarah looked at him with confusion written all over her face. "Um, thank you? Why are you doing this? You have no reason to help me."

"The last thing I need is the dead body of the princess on my lands. Already, have enough problems with the Court. Also, you entertain me, and I want to see how far this goes."

"How far what goes?" She asked. Lochlan disappeared from his position in front of Sarah and reappeared behind her.

"You and your horse ride north for roughly twenty…what's that human measurement for distance… Ah, miles. Then turn westward and ride for another ten or fifteen miles or so," he said.

"And where am I supposed to be going? Some oasis in the desert?" Sarah snorted as she turned toward him. Lochlan gave her a broad smile.

"If you start now, you will make it by mid-morning tomorrow, provided you don't make any excessive stops," he explained, ignoring Sarah's question.

"But…"

"I suggest you leave now. My sluaghs don't appreciate it when I prevent them from tormenting travelers who have intruded on our lands," Lochlan interrupted.

Sarah looked behind his shoulder and noticed that a host of slaughs were being held at bay only feet away. "Okay, I'll leave now," Sarah mumbled, frozen in place, staring at the floating creatures.

"You'll need your horse. Also, you will need to move," Lochlan teased.

"Right. Daisy!" Sarah rushed over to her horse. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted off the ground and placed on the back of the horse.

"I don't know how you managed to climb aboard that creature without a saddle," Lochlan smirk as he magically moved her. "But I'll save you anymore indignities for the day."

Sarah gave him a relieved smile. "Thanks," Sarah said as she and Daisy made their way out of the woods, heading north.

"I've done my good deed for a lifetime. I'll be expecting a lovely thank you gift," Lochlan said as he turned to face the host of sluaghs.

"Don't give me that look. There will be others that you can torture later. The night is young," he said as he faded from view.

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><p><strong>AN: Again, thank you so much for the reviews. They mean a lot! :-)**


	10. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I still own nothing of the Henson Co._

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

_Oh so long for this night I prayed_

_That a star would guide you my way_

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><p>Many hours had come and gone with sporadic stops for a carrot or apple break before Sarah and Daisy made their way up a dusty hill. Yet again, Sarah was slumped over, using Daisy's neck as a headrest. The strong wind swirled the dust in every direction. Her long tresses blocked nearly as much of her view as the dust in the air did.<p>

"Ugh," Sarah groaned. "I think it's been thirteen miles. Where's this place anyway?" Daisy let out a small whinny, bobbing her head up and down in frustrated agreement.

As they reached the top of the hill, Sarah's eyes widened in recognition. Before her lay the Labyrinth and in the middle of the maze towered the Castle beyond the Goblin City, a place she had not seen in nearly ten years.

"What?" Sarah gasped. "Why did he tell us to come here?" Sarah asked Daisy who continuously turned her head in every direction, searching for grass in vain.

"Here," Sarah said as she jumped off of the horse.

After cracking a few sore muscles, she reached in her bag and fed Daisy the remaining carrot. While Daisy ate, Sarah wandered back and forth, not taking her eyes off the maze.

"Déjà vu, isn't it? After the other night, I don't think Jareth would really care to see me right now," Sarah said as exhaustion stemming from the past few days events suddenly hit her. She willed the tears forming in her eyes to cease.

Realizing that she did not leave Jareth on friendly terms, suddenly, Sarah felt more alone in this world. At this point in what was left of their turbulent relationship, Sarah would not even consider asking him for help or even expect any. Public humiliation and accusations of lying are not great foundations for any friendship. While she wasn't looking for his help, believing that he would have nothing to do with her hit her hard. Sarah wiped the tears from her eyes, knowing that they wouldn't do anything for her. Now is the time to find shelter.

Sarah noticed to her left, in the distance, that the hill sloped downward and, if they kept going left, they would end up in a grassy prairie outside of the Labyrinth. The distance was far but less than a half-day's journey.

"We should go that way," Sarah said to Daisy. "Maybe we can go unnoticed. Find you a nice place to graze on?"

Sarah took a step forward to walk down the hill when she ran head first into a wall. But, there was nothing there.

"What the…" Sarah said as she rubbed her forehead. She continued to tap on the invisible wall in front of her as she sidestepped to the left.

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><p>Sitting at his desk in his study, Jareth dictated a letter to Cormac, who tried his best not to shake while he wrote. Unfortunate elf… still anxious as ever. Thankfully, Jareth did not notice his underling's trepidation. Ever since Jareth returned from the Seelie Palace, he had been running on autopilot. No matter how hard he tried, his mind would wander to that stubborn heir in the Palace. He had no misgivings that she, by now, has finally accepted the fact that he was telling her the truth<em>. <em>

_How her world must be falling all around her_, he thought. That level of betrayal would shake the strongest of creatures. _Serves her right_, he thought._ She would be here away from those cretins if she weren't so insolent. _ Jareth smirked. No matter how he outwardly railed against Sarah's stalwart behavior, he would never cease to find it oddly charming. At least she kept him on his toes.

Cormac noticed that Jareth had stopped speaking. "You…Your Your Majesty," Cormac stuttered. Jareth placed a hand up to silence the elf.

"What day of the week is it?" Jareth asked, looking out a window.

"It's the first day of the week, sire," Cormac answered.

"Then why in the hell are caravans demanding access?" Jareth said as he shot to his feet. "Or maybe Lochlan sent another draug as a joke to test my defenses. He knows damn well that it wasn't funny the first time."

"Excuse me, Your Majesty?" Cormac sputtered, confused by the seemingly erratic questioning of his King. Jareth turned to the back window in his study.

"Someone is tampering with the barrier again. Hold those thoughts," Jareth said while pointing at the piece of paper the elf held. "I'll be back shortly."

Suddenly, he transformed into his owl form and soared out the window toward the location of the would-be intruder. Soaring high above, Jareth scanned his Labyrinth to ensure no one, or thing, got through. On the small hill at the entrance to his maze, he saw a large cream horse and woman dressed in Aboveground clothing.

_There's no runner here. And where in the hell did that horse come from?_ Jareth thought.

_No…It couldn't be._ He swooped down behind the girl and converted back into his fae form.

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><p>Sarah stomped her foot in frustration and ran her hands through her hair. "Why can't I get through?"<p>

"It's there to provide protection against unwanted guests," said the lilting voice behind her. Sarah spun around to see Jareth standing in front of her. The wind blew in her face, her hair covering her face. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

"What a pleasant surprise. I should consider myself humbled to be in the presence of the Fae Princess," Jareth smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I must apologize for my lack of offering to you. However," he remarked while doing a quick once-over, "your wardrobe has seen better days."

Sarah, saying nothing, tried in vain to move her unruly hair from around her face, inadvertently showing the welt on her cheek. Jareth quickly detected the bruise yet schooled his features to hide his fury.

"Look. I just wanted to keep going west until I found a place to rest. I didn't even know where your kingdom was, remember?" she explained, her voice rising to combat that wind. "I didn't come here for help." Sarah looked toward the barren lands she just came through, refusing to make eye contact with Jareth.

"But since I am here, I should tell you that I'm sorry: for not believing you, for doubting you, for treating you poorly. I guess I should have known better, but it's not like something like this happens to me every day so…" Sarah shrugged her shoulders as her statement trailed off. Sarah looked at Jareth who just stared back at her, void of emotion, arms still folded. With the wind blowing through his hair, he looked almost like he did all those years ago.

"If you could just let us through the barrier or give directions to a place that Daisy and I could go, we'll just be on our way. I won't bother you anymore."

Jareth walked passed Sarah and stopped at the Daisy's side. Raising his right hand to the withers of the horse, he encompassed the horse in a pale white light, causing the horse to fade away.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Sarah exclaimed as she went to stand between Jareth and Daisy.

"I don't care much for horses in my throne room," Jareth said as he walked away from the confused princess.

_Throne room?_

Sarah turned around to notice that not only was Daisy no longer next to her, but she was in the throne room in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. She stood by the edge of the pit in front of the throne. The room was empty, just like the last time she was there.

"Jinx!" Jareth's voice bellowed through the halls of the castle.

A moment later, a short, round goblin scampered through the main wooden doors of the throne room. He tripped over his feet, causing him to run straight into Jareth's boot. Jareth kicked the goblin away from his shoe, allowing the goblin to stand upright. Jinx saluted Jareth with the sole-less boot on his hand.

"Jinx, there is a new horse in the stables. Her name is Daisy. Tell Sebastian to provide a stall for her and some food and water," Jareth ordered, duly ignoring the odd antics of his subject.

"Yes, sire," Jinx said, revealing that his voice was much lower and gravely than Sarah expected. Jinx ran out the side door toward the stables to deliver the message.

Jareth reached down to pick up the bag that Sarah had dropped on the ground. He walked toward the side entryway. Sarah just stood there, unable to consider a complete sentence or thought.

"I suggest you follow me. This room gets quite drafty during the nights as well as disgusting. Goblins are retched creatures," Jareth said as he continued through the exit.

Sarah gathered her bearings and trailed Jareth through the castle corridors. Walking behind Jareth, Sarah took notice of her surroundings. Brown slate stones covered the ground where they walked as well as the walls. The further they walked away from the throne room, Sarah surmised, the cleaner the corridors were. Various banners and portraits hung from the walls.

_Where these always here?_ Searching for Toby did not give Sarah enough time for a home tour.

Left turn here.

Right turn there.

Straight ahead for several yards.

Sarah felt as though she was solving another puzzle. Her body was aching, but she dared not complain in front of Jareth. Not only did she not want to whine like she did all those years ago, but she also didn't know where he was taking her. Jareth guarded his emotions so well that Sarah had no inkling of his feelings about her as she wandering his castle…again.

Sarah's mind began to wander to the worst possible scenarios. Maybe he was taking her to a dungeon. Although, if there was any rhyme or reason to this castle, this section of the castle seemed too nice to have a dungeon in the area. Perhaps he has a cell in one of the turrets of the castle. If she asked nicely, maybe he would provide some sort of bed, hopefully with a blanket. She tended to get cold at night.

Taking in the castle that surrounded her, Sarah didn't notice that Jareth had come to a halt, causing her to run into his back. Jareth looked over his shoulder.

"Pardon my back. It has a terrible habit of getting in the way," Jareth teased.

"Sorry," she whispered, embarrassed.

Sarah noticed that they had stopped in front of another hallway, but this one was shorter since she could see a wall at the end that held a large banner depicting an owl in flight. Jareth held out his gloved right hand to Sarah.

"Give me your hand," he directed.

Giving him a wary look, Sarah placed her left hand is his right. He took her hand and placed it against the air in front of them, except Sarah quickly realized that there was not just air in front of her. Jareth held both their hands against the invisible barrier and started to mumble something in…Goblin, Sarah deduced; she had heard him speak it before, sort of. It was such an odd language that she always assumed that was what he spoke when he mumbled. The barrier in front of them started to glow with swirls of red floating though out it. Jareth gave her a confused look before releasing Sarah's hand and walking straight down the hall.

"I have barriers throughout my kingdom and castle, as you now know. You have access to this corridor. Just place your hand on the barrier to gain access," Jareth explained as they came to a halt in front of a tall wooden door on the right hand side of the hallway. Sarah noticed that down this corridor there were only two doors, one on each side.

Jareth opened the door but stayed behind, leaning against the side while still holding her bag. Sarah walked inside the room and nearly gasped at what she saw. Before her was a bedchamber nearly the size of her own. To her left was a sitting area complete with a fireplace against the wall surrounded by two chairs and a small couch. Next to the sitting area was a set of French glass doors that led to a balcony of some sorts. The floors were made of a deep, dark wood that stretched over the entire chamber. Against the center wall was a large, dark, wooden bed with a cream-colored deep button headboard, tufted with deep buttons and a coordinating cream comforter with dark purple accent pillows. The bed was flanked by two circular windows. Across the bed on the opposite wall was a vanity with a padded stool tucked underneath. To her right were two doors.

"The door to the right is the washroom, and to the left of that is the closet," Jareth said as he walked over to the sitting area and placed her bag on the couch.

"You must have travelled for about a day. I suggest you clean yourself up and get some rest," Jareth said as he walked back to the main door.

Sarah may have been exhausted, but she wasn't an idiot. Jareth didn't have to do any of this for her. She had been willing to camp in the wild for the foreseeable future before Jareth came along. A luxurious bedroom was more than generous.

As Jareth was closing the door behind him, Sarah stopped him. "Thank you. You didn't have to do any of this," Sarah said, words failing her for how she truly felt.

He let out a sigh. "No, Sarah, you don't understand. I did have to do this," Jareth said with his back facing her. With that last exchange, he shut the door behind him, leaving Sarah alone in the room.

Jareth walked back through the hallways toward his throne room. Once there, he noticed that the throne room was still devoid of anyone.

"Darcy!" Jareth yelled into the empty room.

In scampered a medium height goblin, with wiry black and grey hair and wearing a blue and white aproned dress.

"Yes, sire," said the goblin while giving her best curtsy.

"I have a guest in the royal corridor. Check in on her throughout the day and night. She's exhausted and therefore might not want any food," he explained. "If she does not awaken by herself by morning, wake her yourself and have her join me in the dining room for breakfast. And don't let anyone know she's here. Well, maybe one other may know... Rasch!"

A green dot nearly blinked into existence in front Jareth next to Darcy.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" exclaimed the excitable imp.

"I'm sending you on another mission. This time don't get distracted by pretty girls," Jareth said, giving the imp a warning look.

"No. No. No, Sire. I'll be more careful," Rasch said, standing tall-ish while giving a salute.

"Go to the Seelie Palace and find out anything you can about Princess Sarah and the actions of the Court. Anything you consider out of place, take note and tell me when you return. I'm giving you three days."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll make you proud, I will," said Rasch, bobbing his head up and down.

Rasch disappeared from the room. Jareth looked over to Darcy, who had her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

"And what exactly do you feel like chastising me about this time?" Jareth asked as he made his way to his throne. Throwing himself down on his chair, he tossed one leg over the arm of the chair and shared a smile with his chambermaid.

"I may be old, but my hearing ain't impaired," Darcy said. "Did I hear the words 'Princess Sarah' come out of your mouth? As in next ruler of the Seelie Court and girl who solved the Labyrinth and shattered your heart?"

Jareth rolled his eyes. "Shattered is such a strong word…"

"Smashed into a million pieces would be better," Darcy interrupted. "You didn't leave your chambers for a year."

"That's a trivial observation. I still ran my kingdom; I just wanted to be alone." Jareth conjured a crystal, tossing it back and forth. "Besides," Jareth said, becoming more somber. "She didn't know any better."

Darcy was an old goblin, one of the first to have worked in the castle. Spending many of her early years helping raise Jareth gave her the grit she had today. A thick skin was needed to work with him even when he was young. She put up with a lot of his antics as he did hers, to a certain extent.

"And why now, hmm? Did she come back asking for forgiveness? So easily forgave her did you? And you just place her in the royal suites?" Darcy asked.

"Mind your place, Darcy," Jareth warned. "Our long history doesn't excuse how you speak to me. Something happened at the Court that caused her to run away."

"And what would that be?"

"I don't know. That's why I sent that imp to find out what happened," Jareth said.

"All right, then. I'll be heading to her chambers to check on her," Darcy said as she started to walk out of the throne room.

"Oh and Darcy," Jareth called out, gazing into the crystal. "Watch your tone with Sarah. I'll deal with our issues. There's no need to involve yourself in our troubles."

As Darcy gave a bow and left the room, Jareth still sat in his throne. He was finally allowed to be left alone with his thoughts and come to terms with what just transpired. In all the numerous scenarios that ran through his head after the ball, Sarah's running away had never crossed his mind. His castle is nearly a day's ride from the Seelie Palace. The fact that she had made the trek with only her bag and her horse proved to him that this situation has gone horrible awry.

But as much as he hates to admit it, he couldn't have been more pleased to see Sarah standing on top of the hill. Jareth didn't want to express to her how happy he was that she came back to him. He wasn't fool enough parade his feeling out just so she could crush them again. He wasn't going to let her know how he truly felt. Not yet. Their time will come. He won't let her go so easily this time.

* * *

><p>Darcy made her way to the royal corridor and knocked three times, but no one answered. Slowly opening the door, Darcy peered into the room and noticed lingering steam coming from the open bathroom door and a passed-out dark haired woman under the covers of the bed. Near the closet door lay a pile of torn and stained clothes. Darcy leaned down to gather the clothing.<p>

"My goodness, what odd clothing. Going to have to get you some better clothing," Darcy said to the sleeping woman.

Darcy came back several times throughout the day and night, stunned that the fae in the bed did not seem to move an inch the entire time. During her final check of Sarah for the night, Darcy brought back her clothes, cleaned and mended, and left them on the top of the vanity. The dinner that Darcy left just a few hours earlier on the vanity was cold and untouched.

_Poor thing, _Darcy thought. _Must be exhausted_. Darcy grabbed the tray and walked out, remembering to wake her up in the morning, no matter how tired she might be.

The morning light shone through the windows as the birds could be heard singing outside. Unfortunately, none of this could be seen or heard to the fae still buried underneath a pile of blankets.

_Knock Knock Knock_

No sound came from inside the room. Darcy opened the door to find her in the same position as she left her the night before. If not for the steady breathing under the blankets, Darcy would have sworn that she was dead.

"All right. Up you go," Darcy shouted into the room.

Startled, Sarah sat straight up in her bed, clutching the sheets to her chest, searching with blurred vision around the room until she found Darcy.

"H-hello," Sarah stammered out with a scratchy voice.

"Oh, finally. You've been out for nearly an entire day," Darcy said as she walked over to the windows and pulled the partially opened curtains wide.

"I've been out for a day? What time is it?" Sarah asked, rubbing the muck out of her eyes and attempting in vain to straighten her hair.

"It's nearly seven-thirty in the morning. Missed your lunch and dinner yesterday, you did. I don't know what happened to you, but it must have been wearin' on you. I got your clothes fixed for you. Get up and get ready. His Majesty wants you to meet him for breakfast."

"What? Why?" Sarah asked, still not moving.

"The best piece of advice I can give anyone is never ask why the King of the Goblins does anything. It'll just mess up your head," Darcy said with a smile so wide her pointed teeth were on full display.

"I didn't catch your name," Sarah said.

"That's because I didn't give it to you," Darcy replied, laughing. "Name's Darcy. I'm the head housekeeper and the only one allowed in this part of the castle."

"So…you're a goblin?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, I am. And you are an odd looking fae who is going to be late if you don't get out of bed," Darcy said.

"Oh, um. Well, you see, I don't have a nightgown, and I'm not wearing anything. So…"

"Okay, okay. I'll return in ten minutes and not a minute later," Darcy conceded as she stepped out of the room.

Sarah let out a grateful sigh. "Ten minutes. Got it."

As soon as Darcy left, Sarah sprung out of the bed and raced to the bathroom. After taking care of the necessities, Sarah scrubbed her face clean with a floral bar soap. She looked around the bathroom, searching for anything that could actually tame her locks. Remembering the vanity in her chamber, Sarah walked over and found her clothes from the previous day, blue jeans and a grey, long sleeve shirt. After slipping on her newly cleaned clothes, Sarah opened up several drawers until she found a comb and hair ties.

_Jackpot!_ On the far corner of the vanity, Sarah noticed an arrangement of flowers, purple irises, in a crystal vase. _Odd,_ Sarah mused. _I didn't see those yesterday._

Just then Darcy burst through the door, startling Sarah from her musings.

"I told you I'd be back in ten minutes and here I am. Ready?" Darcy asked as she walked out the door, not waiting for an answer. "Follow me to the dining hall," Darcy called out.

Subconsciously rubbing her hands over her grey long sleeves, Sarah followed behind the goblin maid. As she walked the stone hallways, Sarah's nerves started to become strained and tense. She knew at some point she would have to speak to Jareth. She was accepting his hospitality after all. But after sleeping the day away, she had yet given herself enough time to fully process the situation in which she found herself. Her contemplations distracted Sarah so much that she ran into Darcy's back. That was becoming a terrible habit.

"Sorry, Darcy. I lost track of my surroundings," Sarah said with a sheepish grin.

"Well, make sure you pay more attention," Darcy chastised. "We goblins may be hardy, but we don't like being run over by everyone."

"Jareth doesn't run into you guys?" Sarah questioned.

"His Majesty does as he pleases," Darcy said with a nod.

"Thank you, by the way." Sarah said. "For the flowers. They were everywhere at my home. Both homes, actually. I miss them."

Darcy gave Sarah an incredulous look. "Why would I be giving you flowers? I a goblin. Why would I give those repulsive things to you for?" Darcy asked.

Sarah looked to her right and noticed two tall double doors.

"That's the dining hall. His Majesty takes some of his meals there, including today's breakfast," Darcy explained as she walked over to the door to open it.

"Thanks," Sarah said as she walked through the held door.

The first object that caught Sarah's attention was the magnificent crystal and gold chandelier descending from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Brown stone covered the floor and walls. To her left was a white marble fireplace, unlit. The wall in front of her contained one large, circular window while the wall to her right had two square windows. The main feature of the room was the lengthy, dark wood dining table. Eight red, padded seats flanked either side of the table with a large, winged chair at the head of the table. The table was set for only two: one for the head of the table and the other setting was to her left.

"From years of experience, I can tell you that it is easier to eat while sitting rather than standing," came a voice on the opposite end of the hall.

Sarah looked toward the direction of the voice and noticed Jareth leaning against the wall by a door off to the side.

_Funny,_ Sarah thought. _Totally didn't see him there. He's good at that. _

Dressed in grey breeches, with black boots, and a low cut long sleeved black shirt, Jareth cut more of a dashing figure in the morning, especially compared to Sarah.

"Always knew you were good at disguises. But, I never thought that you could have blended in with a wall," Sarah said. Jareth pushed himself off the wall and walked toward the dining table.

"My dear, Sarah, I'm good, but I'm not that good," Jareth said as he pulled out a chair.

"No need to ever give you compliments," Sarah nearly murmured as she sat in the chair Jareth was holding.

Jareth leaned over to whisper in Sarah's ear, "I'll never turn down anything you have to offer, Precious." Jareth walked over to his seat at the head of the table as Sarah covered her mouth in an attempt to stave off the red in her cheeks.

"Jerk," Sarah mumbled to herself while untying her hair to allow it to tumble over the sides of her face, hoping her hair would cover the blush rising in her cheeks.

If Jareth heard Sarah's remark, he did not acknowledge it. Instead, he sat back in his chair with a small grin and snapped his gloved fingers. From the side door, in walked two goblins carrying two covered trays and placed them in front of Jareth and Sarah. They hastily uncovered the trays and departed the room. Toast, eggs, and fruit greeted a ravenous Sarah. Not forgetting her manners, she waited for Jareth to start eating before taking a bite. A few seconds of waiting went by before Sarah turned to Jareth to see why he hadn't eaten anything yet. Jareth was just sitting there with a self-satisfyed smirk on his face.

"Why aren't you eating? And why are smiling like that?" Sarah demanded, too hungry to care about how rude she sounded. Jareth picked up his fork but still did not touch his plate. Instead he tossed some fruit around with his fork.

"You haven't eaten a real meal in at least two days, and yet you still insist on using proper protocol," he said, lazily pushing the eggs across the plate.

"You're supposed to eat first. I'm showing you respect," she ground out. "It's only appropriate."

"I don't quite feel up to eating at this moment," Jareth said, twirling the fork around his fingers.

Sarah was near her wits end. "I can shove the food down your face. Will you feel like eating then?" she asked.

Not wanting to test whether or not Sarah would cause him bodily harm, he finally started eating. Neither one of them spoke while they ate. Sarah was halfway through her breakfast when Jareth stopped eating to lean back in his chair, chin in hand, staring at Sarah. She continued to eat, not noticing that he had ceased eating.

"Are you going to tell me why I'm housing a high member of the Seelie Court in my castle, who just happened to arrive without an escort? Or why you have that hideous blemish on your face," Jareth said. "Or are we going to continue to pretend that you being here is typical?"

"What do you know so far?" Sarah asked, mouth filled with food, not looking up at him.

"That a princess in human clothing arrived at my Labyrinth's border dressed in Aboveground clothing. The End," Jareth said as his eyes bored into Sarah.

Sarah placed her fork down and looked up at Jareth. "You haven't heard anything? From anyone?"

Jareth slowly shook his head. "No word has come from the Palace."

"The day after you gave me your memories, I remembered a small opening in my closet that I used to keep items in. I found your letters. All of them. You were right," she muttered. Sarah stared at the half-eaten food in front of her no longer hungry.

"I became angry, extremely angry. But I didn't care anymore; all I wanted answers. This wasn't just about you; It was about everything. I've always known that others weren't treated the way I was. But I accepted that, until now. I wanted them to tell me why," Sarah rambled. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I decided to go my father's office. But before I made it there, I heard many voices coming from the study. He rarely sees so many people at once. Plus, I heard familiar voices. So, I stopped to listen. Every ruler from the Seelie Court was there. Umm… well, except the Queen of the Pixies and King of the Centaurs...they weren't there," Sarah mused.

"Not surprising. They have less to do with the Court than I do," Jareth said.

"Odd. Anyway, I heard them talk about an arranged marriage. _My_ arranged marriage. To the Crown Prince of the Elves," Sarah said with disgust.

"And?" Jareth pressed. His hand under his chin was clenched into a fist.

"The kings kept arguing that it wasn't fair that the Elven prince marry me. And my father said something about how the Elven King helped him, but I didn't hear why. He didn't explain. I became more upset. I rushed into the room and began arguing with my parents. That's when he hit me," Sarah said, almost in a whisper as tears began to form. Sarah moved her hand to her fading bruise, surprised to find that it still hurt so much. Jareth continued to stare at Sarah, a burning rage simmering underneath his mask of indifferent listening.

"I became furious. He told me to leave, and I said no. I said it twice, I think. When I said it the second time, I opened my eyes to find that everyone was passed out. I thought they were dead; I thought I killed them. But I made sure that they were alive. And then I just ran. Muiriol helped me escape." She covered her mouth with her hand, distraught. "Oh god, I hope she's okay."

After Sarah finished her story, she placed her head in her hands. "I can't believe this is happening."

Sarah turned to Jareth, who she had practically ignored throughout her entire story, to see his eyes wide, a look of amazement on his face.

"What?" She was confused by the dumbfounded look on his face.

He leaned into her. "How did you do that?" Jareth asked with astonishment.

Sarah's eyes became wide as well, but with confusion. "Do what?"

Jareth let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "To kill a fae is an incredible feat but attainable. All you needs is iron. To incapacitate a room full of powerful faes is unheard of. Your father may overestimate how powerful he is, but you can't just disable him or the others."

"So… what you're saying is what I did was hard to accomplish," Sarah tried to comprehend.

"What you did is impossible to do," Jareth countered. He stood up from his chair and paced around the dining hall.

"That makes no sense. If a fae can be killed, he can be disabled," Sarah reasoned. It made sense in her head, but then again, she was the one without magic training.

"No, Sarah, he can't. To take the life from something is easy, even if it is vicious and tragic. Like I said, just take some iron and jab it through some skin. But you, Precious," he said while shaking an appreciative finger at her. "You caused incapacity without death. Somehow, you were able to restrict their magic with yours."

"And this has never been heard of before?" Sarah questioned.

"Yes, of course. But only in magical theory. Alongside other various hypothesis of how, with enough magic, faes can take over the Aboveground and dwarves can turn into elves," he snorted.

Sarah looked at him with confusion. "I'm guessing those two things aren't possible."

Jareth scoffed. "No, of course not."

"Well that's what happened. I don't know what else to tell you," Sarah said, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation.

Jareth's pacing came to a stop, and, suddenly, he turned to walk out of the dining hall. Sarah jumped out of her chair to follow him.

"Where are you going?" Sarah called out, trying to catch up with him. Jareth's long gait caused Sarah to have to nearly jog to catch up to him.

"To the library," he called back to her. "I need to find where this idea was written. Everything just became a lot more fascinating."

* * *

><p><strong>Again, I can't thank you enough for the reviews. They are so nice and lovely! Thanks guys!<strong>


	11. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Henson Co. Just writing a little story. _

* * *

><p>Chapter 10<p>

_Girl you just don't realize_

_What you do to me_

* * *

><p>Jareth and Sarah sat at a long table, opposite each other, in the library, reading their respective books. Jareth was scanning large tomes of magical theory books. Sarah found a large section of Aboveground books Jareth had in his possession and decided to read a book from his collection. From the looks of Jareth's library, she learned quickly that he had a love for Aboveground politics and history. Since she knew next to nothing about magic or its various theories, she thought she should at least find a way to keep quiet and out of his way. An hour or two passed when Jareth finally broke the silence.<p>

"So, Sarah, how has your life been these past few years?" Jareth asked, starring down at an open book.

"Why would you care about my boring human life?" Sarah said in jest.

"Just thought I should break the uncomfortable silence," Jareth answered. "I am capable of being thoughtful."

"I didn't find it uncomfortable. I'm fine sitting here with you." Sarah caught what she said, silently cursing the fact that she said it out loud. A satisfied smile could be seen on Jareth's face as he looked up from the book he was reading.

"I lived in Seattle," Sarah said, steering the conversation away from her embarrassing statement. "It's kinda far away from my childhood home, rains a lot there," Sarah started to feel a bit nostalgic.

"And a mate?" Jareth tried to ask in a nonchalant way, but it came off terser than he would have liked. His shoulders tensed, and he did not look up from the book he was reading. Jareth didn't come off as someone who was an open book himself, but Sarah saw straight through him. She found his efforts at appearing uncaring as oddly charming.

"No, I didn't have a _mate_. I did, however, have a boyfriend a few months ago, but that didn't last. He turned out to a jerk."

Jareth shoulders noticeably relaxed at Sarah's admission. "And your profession?"

"I was as a private music teacher, mostly piano. Sometimes violin but most parents can't stand the learning process needed to learn the violin."

"And why is that?" Jareth stopped reading, his full attention on Sarah.

Sarah let out a small chuckle. "Have you heard someone play the violin badly? Sounds like cats dying."

"Dealing with children as your occupation? I'm surprised I didn't hear another wish from you," Jareth laughed out.

"Hey, I learned my lesson: no wishing away kids, or anyone, for that matter. Besides, it's not like you would have come anyway," Sarah said in a plaintive tone. She looked back down at her book, not wanting to see Jareth's reaction to her flippant statement. She quickly realized that she steered the conversation in a direction she hadn't meant to.

Jareth closed the book he was reading and sat back in his chair. "And what do you mean by that?" Jareth said, sounding affronted.

"I asked for my friends for years, and no one came. I still kept that stupid vanity because I thought that was the only way they could come through."

Jareth tried to remain calm, his gloved hands clenched and unclenched slowly. "But did you wish…"

"To see them? I wished for them every day for five years," Sarah pleaded.

"Did you wish for me?" Jareth's raised voice challenged. Sarah looked away for a few seconds then turned her eyes to the glaring Goblin King.

"No. No, I didn't," Sarah replied, staring at her fingernails as though they were the most interesting things in the world.

"And yet you claim I wouldn't come when asked?"

"They told me they would always be there if I called," Sarah explained. Jareth gave a harsh sneer.

"As if a bumbling beast, a dim dwarf, or a foolhardy fox would have any idea how magic between the realms works."

Sarah slammed her book on the table. "Why do you have to be so mean to them? They had to know something. They stayed with me throughout the night…"

Jareth rose out of his chair and tossed all the books on the floor.

"Because I allowed it!" Jareth yelled as he gripped the edge of the table.

Sarah's eyes became wide with surprise and then quickly looked away at the floor.

"They were there because I allowed them to be there!" he yelled. "Once you said those dreadful last words, you only had access to those from my kingdom until sunrise. Those useless louts shouldn't have made that promise."

Jareth bowed his head, struggling to calm his temper. "You never did appreciate the things I did for you."

After a few moments, she looked up at him and asked, "Why did you allow them to stay with me?"

He let out a soft chuckle as he sat back down in his chair. "Why do I do anything?"

Sarah crossed her arms. "I'm being serious."

"So am I," Jareth countered, eyes ablaze, his chiseled features expressing anger. Attempting to calm his nerves, he created a crystal, mindlessly tossing it back and forth. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them before Jareth spoke.

"Why were you so intent on seeing your friends?" Jareth questioned.

"Is it not enough that they were my friends? Why would I not want to speak to them?" Sarah countered.

"Why would you want to speak to a group whose collective brain power is that of a newt?"

Sarah rubbed her temples. "I wondered how long it would take for you to start with the insults again."

"They're only insults if the descriptions aren't true," Jareth countered.

"I wanted to see them because I missed them. And I might have had some questions that I thought they could answer," Sarah said, hoping to quell Jareth's verbal abuse toward her former companions.

Sarah had his full attention now. "What questions?"

"Didn't I just say I wanted to ask _them_ questions?" Sarah intoned. Jareth slouched in his chair and stared into his crystal.

"You might have to repeat yourself several times, especially to the dwarf. Language is a hard thing for him to grasp," Jareth said dismissively.

"All right. Don't want to have an adult conversation? That's fine by me," Sarah said as she rose from her seat and grabbed the book she was reading. She started walking toward the door when Jareth stopped her.

"Sarah, stop," he said, sounding defeated.

Sarah turned to face him. "Yes, Jareth," sounding just as drained.

"It's almost time for lunch. Follow the crystal," he said as he released the crystal. "It will take you where you need to go." The crystal floated past Sarah and to the library doors.

"Thanks," Sarah said, almost apologetically, as she started to follow the crystal.

"Wait," he called out as he stood up and walked toward Sarah. He brought a gloved hand to the bruise on her face. A warming light surrounded her cheek, causing the bruise on her face to disappear.

"Such a beautiful face shouldn't be marred with something so abhorrent," Jareth said softly.

Sarah rubbed her cheek, taking note of the lack of pain she felt. She looked up at Jareth who was walking back to his seat.

"Thank you," she nearly whispered, touched by his actions.

"It's not a problem, Precious," he said, not looking at her while picking the books off the floor.

* * *

><p>Following the orb through the corridors, Sarah's head started to ache. For years in the Aboveground, she had wanted answers from Jareth, not her friends, regardless of what she told him. But it seems that every time they tried to talk about important matters, neither could couldn't stay away from pushing the other's buttons, either directly or indirectly.<p>

The time for a serious talk would come later. Now, Sarah was hungry and readily accepting of Jareth's offer for lunch. The orb came to a stop in front of a wooden door. Turning the knob and pushing the door, Sarah stepped out into an expansive garden with flowers growing in every direction. Before she could properly look around, Sarah noticed the orb dash to the left. As she turned to follow the orb, she saw what she never thought she would see again: a large orange beast, a gallant fox on a Merlin look-alike, and anxious-looking dwarf. Sarah stopped in her tracks.

"Oh, my ...," she whispered to herself.

"M'Lady!" barked Sir Didymus, who was astride Ambrosius. The two of them galloped toward Sarah as she kneeled to the ground to catch them in an embrace.

"SAWAH!" bellowed Ludo, who was now standing in front of her.

"Ludo!" Sarah exclaimed, jumping up into the beast's arms. Lucky he was a gentle beast, because his friendliest hugs always caused her to nearly lose her breath.

"Oh Ludo," Sarah strained to get out. "I missed you too, but you should let go." Ludo gently placed Sarah back on the ground. As Sarah brushed out her clothes, she noticed the tale-tell sound of trinkets. Sarah smiled and looked around Ludo to see the timid dwarf fidgeting with his bag of knick-knacks as he shuffled forward to the group.

"Hi-Hiya, Sarah," Hoggle said as he brushed the ground with his feet. Sarah dropped to her knees to give her old friend a crushing hug.

"Hoggle! You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"

Hoggle raised his hands to hug Sarah back. "Y-Ya are?"

Sarah pulled Hoggle back to look at him in the eye. "Of course, I am, Hoggle. Why would you think otherwise?"

"It's just… we haven't seen you in such a long time. I just assumed…"

"…That I would forget about you?" Sarah said, completing his thought. Hoggle looked to the side, ashamed.

"Oh, Hoggle," Sarah sighed. "I would never forget you. Any of you," Sarah said as she looked at each of her friends. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"We had direct orders from His Majesty to meet here at mid-day, m'lady," Sir Didymus responded. "The missive came late last evening."

"Why?" She asked as she stood back up.

"Probably for food," Hoggle said as he pointed to the stone seating area laid out with food.

"You guys are here for lunch?" Sarah mused as Ludo started walking toward the table of food.

Sir Didymus' steed started charging after Ludo toward the food. "Ambrosius! Stop this instant! It's not proper to run to meals!"

"Seems like it," Hoggle said as he grabbed Sarah's hand, guiding her to the table.

As the group sat down to eat, Sarah listened to each one of her friends recount the past few years to her. Apparently, Ludo and Sir Didymus live as roommates near the Bog of Eternal Stench. Well, most of the time. Ludo leaves on a "sabbatical" due to the stench, although Didymus insisted that his "brother is terribly mistaken". His sense of smell was extremely keen after all. Hoggle spoke about how he continued to work as a gardener and sometimes tasked with distracting runners, but not often, for obvious reasons.

As Sarah listened to their stories, she gazed up to one of the castle's windows perched almost two stories above their heads. Peering down at the reunited group was the Goblin King. When Sarah caught his eye, he gave her a curt nod and left the window as she went back to eating and conversing with her friends.

* * *

><p>Jareth moved away from the window, near collapsed in his chair and placed his feet on the desk in front of him. Just then, Avitus walked in with a leather satchel in hand.<p>

"You've returned already? I'm afraid to ask what methods you used to accomplish your task so soon," Jareth said without looking at his advisor.

"Yes, well, turns out some are more motivated than others to learn, especially when they knew I would be there until things are correct," Avitus smirked as he walked to Jareth and handed him the satchel. "A detailed report of all that occurred is in the bag. I thought of sending these ahead of me, but I just couldn't be too careful."

Jareth grabbed the satchel from Avitus and tossed it to the floor without giving it any regard.

"Also, I just received word from Governor Tearlach that the Beltane preparations are on schedule. He wanted to assure you that there will be ample supplies of Goblin Ale this year. No shortages like the other year. No one wants to hear you ranting about that again," Avitus explained. Jareth continued to not say anything. Instead, he sat in his chair, chin in hand, and stared off to the side at the cold, empty fireplace.

"I do not wish to speak out of turn, Your Majesty, but how did that girl make it back to the Underground? I noticed her sitting outside. Did she wish away her brother again?" Avitus sat in his chair opposite his king.

Jareth let out a derisive snort, remembering that only few people in the Seelie Court had ever seen Sarah as Princess Sarah. To those few in his kingdom who knew of her, she was known as just Sarah, the human girl who beat the Goblin King at his own game and won back her brother against all odds. To even fewer, she was known as the girl who broke his heart, although he would never admit that out loud.

"No. She is not a runner. She's here as a guest, an anonymous guest," Jareth said in warning tone.

Avitus dropped his head in his hands. "Do I even want to know what is going on?"

"No, you don't," Jareth said as he grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. "Speak none of this to anyone. You don't know she's here, and ensure that the knowledge of her presence does not leave this castle."

Avitus started to become agitated with concern. "Sire, what is going on?"

Jareth continued to write. "The less you know the better, old friend. Tell me, have you heard any odd news or rumors from any members of the Seelie Court while you were out?"

"No. The last thing I heard from the Court was before I left the castle. Rumor has it that the Crown Prince of the Elves and the Princess of the Faes are to be wed. You hate royal weddings more than anything, so I didn't think to bother you with such rumors."

"From now on, any anecdote, no matter how trivial, you report to me immediately. Understood?" Jareth melted wax over the freshly scribed paper and pressed his seal in the lower corner. He handed the paper over to his advisor.

"What is this?" Avitus asked.

"A memo I want sent to all the governors and council-members detailing instructions if they happen to run into a wandering human."

Avitus read over the announcement which stated that if anyone found a stout human woman with red hair to have her safely sent to the Castle. A reward will be given.

"Humans wonder into our kingdom all the time. What makes this one so special? Does she have relation to the girl?"

"What part of the 'less you know' do you not understand?" Jareth said as he put away his seal and paper.

"Yes. Of course, Sire," Avitus said as he stood up to walk out of the study. "If I may make a suggestion, Your Majesty? This girl is clearly still important to you. You may want to consider adding an additional barrier around the castle proper to ensure her safety."

Jareth gave his advisor an appreciative nod. "Thank you. I didn't think of that, but I will place one up this evening."

Just as Avitus stepped out of the room, he turned back to his king. "Oh, and one more thing, Your Majesty: this may be your last chance to win favor with the girl. Might I suggest a toning down of your temper?"

"And lose my undeniable charm? Avitus, I would hate for anyone to find me as dull as you," Jareth teased. Avitus, having viewed the battle as lost, let out a sigh and left to fulfill Jareth's orders.

* * *

><p>Sarah sat at the table in the garden, alone, her friends having left a few moments earlier. The crystal that guided Sarah to lunch was still hovering over her. She thought about figuring out if the crystal would show the way to her room but decided to sit quietly among the flowers.<p>

Sarah heard a small rustle behind her near the hedge bushes. She recognized the silhouette of wild hair casting a shadow on the ground.

"I'm sorry," Sarah quickly said, without turning around. "I shouldn't have blamed you for a something that never occurred. I blamed you, and I was wrong." Sarah winced slightly at her apology. She never liked saying she was wrong. "You're right when you said I didn't appreciate all you did for me. So, thanks… for everything."

Jareth walked over to the opposite side of the table and sat down.

"And here I thought I was going to be met with objects being thrown at my head," Jareth smirked.

"I'm capable of admitting when I'm wrong. It just might take me a while to do it," She shrugged.

Jareth's face fell to a more subdued expression. "Since you admitted fault, I guess it's only fair that I do as well: I lost my temper with you; I shouldn't have raised my voice. That seems to be a habit of mine. I'm sorry as well," Jareth said as he straightened his gloves. Clearly, he also was not accustomed to apologizing.

"Obviously. You did send the cleaners on me."

"You insulted my Labyrinth," Jareth countered, his steely eyes bored into her. Sarah could not hold back the smile she tried hard to repress.

"All I said was that it was a piece of cake," Sarah explained.

Jareth leaned in, placed his elbow on the table, and brought his fisted hand to his chin. "It's not supposed to be a piece of cake."

"That sounds like a personal problem to me," Sarah said. Jareth's laugh rang out throughout the garden.

"You really do have a loud laugh," she mused. "Are you sorry for the way you spoke about my friends?"

"Of course not. They're still imbeciles. I'm not going to apologize for making clear observations," Jareth said as he waved a hand in a dismissive manner.

"Well, I tried," she shrugged. "And thank you for allowing me to have lunch with them. That was nice of you."

Jareth gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"So," she paused, slightly unsure if she should ask this question. "Why did you allow them to stay with me that night?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't be able to see them again, at least for a very long time. They were important to you," he explained.

The fact that, even after losing against her, Jareth still cared about her enough to want her happiness by allowing her friends to stay with her as long as possible, even though they were instrumental in helping her win. She'd never really comprehended how much it seemed Jareth cared for her.

_I guess things aren't what they seem, even Goblin Kings._

"So, you came down here only to apologize?" Sarah asked.

"That and to ask you if you would care to join me for dinner this evening," Jareth said as he, again, straightened the gloves on his hands.

_Still trying to show that he doesn't care._

"Sure," she said with a small smile. "Hope you don't mind my jeans. It's all I brought with me."

"Ah, about that: Darcy said your new wardrobe should be available when you return to your room."

"New wardrobe? No one measured me for new clothes," Sarah said, taken aback.

"I told her to take those clothes in that bag of yours to the head seamstress for your measurements. Luckily, she said that your men's clothing should work well enough," Jareth explain. Sarah was flabbergasted.

"Men's clothing? Wait. You went through my clothes…"

Jareth gave Sarah a mischievous smirk. "Still have a thing against others touching your stuff?"

"Hey, it's my stuff," Sarah answered.

"And it's my castle," Jareth refuted. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Fine. And thank you, I guess. For the new clothes," she clarified, "not for going through my bag."

Jareth rose from his seat and walked next to where Sarah was seated. He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned over. "Now was that so hard, hm?"

Sarah turned her narrowed eyes on Jareth.

"Come now, Sarah. Just imagine us having a conversation where we don't try to verbally assault the other."

"Aww," Sarah said in mock disappointment. "Then we'd be stuck with boring chats where we ask each other what our favorite color is."

"Purple," Jareth answered.

"Huh?" Sarah said, confused, turning around in her seat.

"You're favorite color is purple, but you sometimes like blue, especially when you're not feeling happy," Jareth said matter-of-factly. Remembering that she probably told him that in their previous correspondence, Sarah was amazed he still recalled that information.

"And yours is…black?" She guessed.

"No," Jareth snickered, walking away.

"Oh come on!" Sarah called after him. "What is it?"

As he started to fade from view, he said, "Sounds like something that you will have to find out during a _boring_ dinner conversation, Precious."

* * *

><p>Following the crystal ball that guided her down the hallways, Sarah kept fidgeting with her new dress. The lovely dark green A-line dress with a pleated bodice fit her perfectly.<p>

_The seamstress is a genius. _Having spent the past few years in jeans, wearing a dress felt alien to Sarah, even after being back in the Underground. Opening the door into the dining hall, Sarah walked behind the crystal orb, which floated toward the head of the table where Jareth was standing. The crystal popped and disappeared.

"Hey! That crystal was helpful," Sarah complained.

"Too helpful. You can't go about the castle, following a crystal. You need to learn where you are going," Jareth explained as he pulled Sarah's chair out.

"Fine. But you're going to have to give me a detailed tour of this place. I have a horrible sense of direction," Sarah said as she sat down in the chair.

Jareth suppressed a grin, thrilled that Sarah outright demanded that he show her his castle. His mind briefly wondered what else Sarah might demand of him. Jareth always considered himself a generous king.

As the food was being served, Sarah continued to pick at the fabric of her dress.

"Not up to your standards?" Jareth asked. The garment surely met his standards. He knew it would take a lot of self-control to stop him from leering at Sarah throughout dinner. Unfortunately, self-control was not a trait Jareth was known for.

"No. It's not that. It's gorgeous. I'm just not used to wearing dresses again," Sarah said. "Sure, I wore them all the time before going Above, but it's just weird now." Sarah turned in her seat to face Jareth and motion to her dress. "So, what do you think of the dress?"

_I think you're the most amazing female I've ever met, _he thought_. I want you in my bed all day and night. You shall be my Queen, and I'll never allow you to leave me again._

"I think it's a dress," Jareth answered.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Typical," she muttered while picking up her fork.

"Speaking of oddities, I must tell you that I have heard nothing about what you said happened at the Court the other day…"

"You don't think I'm lying, do you?" Sarah interjected with slight terror lacing her voice.

"Peace, Sarah. I know you're not lying. What I was saying is that they are making certain that what happened does not become public knowledge. There hasn't even been word that you're missing," Jareth explained.

Sarah's shoulders slightly slumped. "And what do you think that means?"

"No one lets his heir go without taking some action…"

"Then why would they not want anyone to know that I've gone missing?" Sarah interjected, again. Jareth shot Sarah a look.

"Must you always interrupt?"

"Sorry," she whispered.

"The King and Queen will want you back, make no mistake about that. But there has to be a reason why they believe it's more beneficial to keep your absence hidden than exposed," Jareth said.

"Great. Now, I'm just a giant conspiracy theory," Sarah said, dropping her fork on her plate, no longer hungry.

"I'm raising another barrier around the castle grounds, for your protection. It's similar to the one you encountered on the hill," he said.

Sarah gave him a sly smile. "So ,no second running of the Labyrinth then?" she joked.

"Want a rematch, do you?" he asked as a lascivious smile spread across his face.

"I'm the reigning victor. It's whether or not you want a rematch," Sarah said, pointing at him. Jareth feigned biting at her finger.

"Hey! No biting," she said, quickly retracting her hand.

"Do you apply that rule to all situations?" Jareth smirked.

"Bastard," she mumbled to the side. The room was definitely getting warmer, regardless of the small breeze coming through the dining hall.

"Yes. A rematch, but this time we both use magic," Jareth said, thoroughly pleased with his antics.

"The rematch now contains magic? That's not…" Sarah caught herself.

Jareth leaned forward to stare at Sarah. "That's not _what_, Precious?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"That's not… reasonable. I don't even know how to use my magic," she explained.

"Which is why I will teach you. Tomorrow. Once you learned the basics, you will run my Labyrinth again with a more magical flare. Besides, you're too old to not even have had a single magic lesson," he said. Sarah's face suddenly became forlorn.

"I forget how far behind I am, in everything really," she mused.

"You left at thirteen, came back looking as though you're eight hundred, and yet you have the magical skills of toddler," Jareth said.

"Well, thanks," Sarah deadpanned. "You made me feel so much better about myself."

"I'll always be here to make you feel better, Sarah. Finished?" he said, gesturing to her plate.

"Yeah. I'm feeling pretty tired anyway," she said as Jareth came over to pull back her chair.

When Sarah stood, Jareth offered his arm, which she took. Walking through the halls of the castle, Sarah felt oddly calm and peaceful at Jareth's side. Just a month ago, she'd wondered if he wanted her dead. Peculiar, how things had turned out.

When they stopped in front of Sarah's door, she rotated the handle and turned to face Jareth, her hand still on the knob. Sarah looked up at Jareth to see him staring at her with a look of restrained longing in his eyes.

"By the way, thank you for the flowers," Sarah said, trying not to let him affect her.

"Flowers?" Jareth challenged as he stepped closer and placed his hands on either side of her shoulders. "Now, why would the mean, cruel, and heartless Goblin King do something frivolous like giving flowers to a girl?" Jareth dipped his head to the crook of Sarah's neck as he whispered in her ear, "That does seem out of character."

Sarah attempted to still her racing pulse while trying to act unfazed, ignoring the small goose bumps that ran up her arms.

"Only you and Darcy are allowed down here, you said," she reasoned. "When I told her about them, she acted as though flowers were poison. So, thank you, mean, cruel, and heartless Goblin King. The flowers were sweet." Sarah cupped Jareth's head with her hands and placed a quick kiss on his forehead. His eyes went wide, unable to hide the surprised expression on his face.

"Purple irises: they're one of my favorites," Sarah said as she walked backward into her chamber.

"I know," Jareth whispered, still a bit stunned.

"Goodnight, Jareth," Sarah said in a sing-song tone, peering behind the entryway as she slowly closed the door.

Standing alone in the hallway, staring at her closed door, he replied, "Goodnight, Precious."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope you enjoyed. My beta was unavailable this time as well, but I didn't want to keep your guys waiting. **

**Shout out to comical freaka: I've never read anything of Jane Austen's (Please don't shoot me). But I take your compliment of comparing Emma and Mr. Knightly to this to story... even if I don't know what you mean. **

**To the other reviewers, muchas gracias. You guys are really helping me get closer to writing the final chapters of this story... even if I am doing it very slowly. **


	12. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: Still own nothing. Original characters are the property of Henson Co._

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

_Oh it's magic when I'm with you_

* * *

><p>"Sarah! Focus!" Jareth barked as he paced back and forth.<p>

"I'm sorry, Jareth. I was so distracted by this butterfly. I found it so much more interesting than whatever you were saying... Of course, I'm focusing!" Sarah snapped as she rose to her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "Stop being irritable."

For the past hour or so, Sarah and Jareth had been sitting in the castle gardens, attempting to gain control over her magic. After breakfast, Jareth began the magic training, which so far consisted of meditation. He told Sarah that she must find her magic by quieting her mind and searching for a connection. The whole notion sounded ridiculous to Sarah, but Jareth's methods were all she had. What she didn't understand was Jareth's impatience.

"You're not doing it right," Jareth complained as he stalked toward her.

"How could you possible know that," Sarah held her arms out in exasperation. "I'm meditating the best way I know how."

"It shouldn't be taking this long," he said, pacing again.

"How long does this _magical connection_, or whatever you call it, take to bond?"

"It depends. Two weeks to several months," Jareth shrugged casually.

Sarah was beside herself with disbelief. "What? And you're freaking out because a few minutes have gone by."

"Actually, it's been an hour," Jareth clarified. Sarah crossed her arms and gave him a stern look.

"Really," she deadpanned.

"Sarah, you don't quite comprehend the nature of things. The magic inside you is not natural. No, that's not right. It's not…"

"Normal?" Sarah answered.

"Correct. It's not normal. The regular time frame for a connection should be different as well," he said.

"Okay. Sure, that makes sense. But, can you at least wait for a few hours to pass before you turn on your crazy?" she implored.

"Sarah, we don't have much time."

"Much time? We don't even know what's going on," she reasoned.

"Even more of a reason to be swift about these things," he said, arms crossed.

"Well, I can't focus if you keep pacing back and forth, back and forth. Do you know just how annoying that is? You're impeding my development," Sarah said as she sat back on the grass.

Jareth hovered over her and tilted his head to the side. "Don't be so dramatic, Precious. It makes you look haggard."

Sarah soared to her feet and pushed Jareth hard enough for him to stumble back, almost losing his footing.

"Shut up, Jareth! I'm tired of your spiteful comments!"

In an instant, Sarah's eyes flashed red before returning to their normal green.

"Sarah, stop!" he commanded as he held out a palm to halt her.

"What now?" she demanded.

"Your eyes. They were red, but only for moment," he explained.

Sarah's anger quickly dissipated. "Really?" Her hands touched the skin around her eyes. "Wh-what does that mean?"

"At the Seelie palace, you said you felt unusually warm before everyone lost consciousness. Did you feel that way just now?"

"Um…no. Yes? Not really. Well, a little. I didn't feel as warm just now. But, everyone feels hot when they get mad," she rationalized.

"No. No. Your magic has manifested itself every time you were under duress," he said.

"But you're still conscious," she said.

"Which is a good thing. Seems as though I did not push you far enough," Jareth mused.

Exasperated, Sarah threw up her arms. "That's stupid. I can only use magic when I'm upset," she complained.

"Doesn't seem a hard feat to accomplish," he joked. Sarah shot him a warning look. Jareth raised his palms in the air. "Only joking, Precious. It's possible that your magic is strongest when coinciding with a strong emotion- not necessarily anger. Let's test this hypothesis, shall we? Close your eyes and hold out your hand, palm side up." Sarah did as instructed.

"Now, think of an emotion, any emotion. However, preferably one that does not cause me physical harm," Jareth jested. With her eyes closed, she searched her thoughts for an emotion that could be strong enough to access her magic. She sensed a warm sensation in her body as the magical connection took hold. All the while, the thought of that wild hair fae swirled around her mind.

Suddenly, a small fire ball formed, hovering above her palm.

"Sarah!" Jareth whispered with excitement. "Open your eyes."

She did as instructed and immediately realized she was holding...

"Fire! Why am I holding fire?" Sarah stretched her arm out further from her body. Jareth encircled her wrist with his hand, ensuring that in her panic she didn't drop the sphere. The fire ball swirled around itself and formed a red crystal. Sarah let out the breath she had not realized she was holding.

"Oh, good. It's no longer fire," Sarah said. Jareth continued to stare at her hand with astonishment in his eyes.

"Okay. I have crystal. What do I do with it?" Sarah said. "Hello? I finally made a crystal. Are we going to do anything?" Sarah waved the crystal around the air.

"Do you realize what you did?" Jareth whispered.

"I made a crystal. And, why are we whispering?" she whispered back.

"You're magic manifested itself as fire, pure energy," Jareth clarified.

"And I'm guessing that's not normal also?" she asked slowly. "I'm starting to think that I'm a freak."

"Seelie faes' magic manifests itself in white or blue," Jareth explained. "Unseelie's always purple—"

"But yours is clear," Sarah interjected; Jareth gave a small smile

"And your magic is red. We fae derive our magic from the world around us. The energy of the Undergound fuels our magic. But you, Sarah, must be harnessing your own magical energy- an island unto yourself."

"If this has never happened before, how do you know this? Maybe my magic finds blue and white to be boring colors. My magic just wants to be unique," Sarah said, trying to convince herself.

"I came across this idea while in the library the other day. I wondered if it applied to you since red showed up in the barrier in our corridor. All of this has only been thought of as hypothetical by Seers eons ago: the idea that faes could no longer be reliant on the existence of the Underground," he explained.

"Why would anyone want to leave the Underground?"

"Why do humans dream of leaving Earth?" Jareth retorted.

"Point taken," she said.

"Besides," Jareth continued. "It's not about leaving the Underground, per se. It's about having ultimate power."

Sarah threw the crystal in the air, catching it as it came back down. She was not as elegant as Jareth was with his crystal, but she wasn't trying to be elegant. She was trying to take her mind away from the notion that she should be studied in a lab.

"This magic theory lesson is great and all, but what does this all mean?" Sarah asked.

"What I believe this means is that you were never meant to rule, Sarah. You were meant to be a power supply."

Sarah eyes went wide in horror. The poor crystal fell and shattered on the grass, forgotten. "What?" she yelled in disbelief.

"A power supply. A weapon of war and conquest. A means to an end. Pick whichever one makes you feel better," he said.

"None," Sarah said. "None of those makes me feel better. It's my magic. How is anyone to use it?"

"There's a reason why faes are taught at a very young age to control their magic. It takes minimal effort for another fae to garner unharnessed magic. For years, I just assumed your parents were simply dim. I'm now wishing that were true," he said with a tinge of regret in his voice.

"So, you're saying they locked me away for years only to use me for their own purposes? How does that work if they were going to marry me off? Oh, wait. I'm guessing this has something to do with what I overheard? About owing the Elven King?"

"Possibly, but right now, I don't know," Jareth admitted.

"Why would they do this?" she asked. "They had my magic when I was Above. Why bring me back?"

Jareth slowly walked paced in front of her. "They didn't have all of your magic."

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever they did, the technique they used, didn't allow them to fully take your magic away," he explained.

"So they need all of my magic? For what? What do they plan to do?"

"I have no idea."

"This is just crazy. None of this makes any sense. Why me? Why would my magic be that strong? Neither of my parents is that powerful."

Jareth shrugged his shoulders. "Again, I don't know."

Sarah dropped to the ground in defeat, spread out her arms, and closed her eyes "I'm done. I quit. I would like to just sleep now," she grumbled.

Jareth looked down and tilted his head to the side. "You made your first crystal, realized that there's an elaborate plot surrounding you, and you want to lie in the dirt?" he asked.

"It's not dirt. It's actually very lovely grass you have here," she said.

"Sarah…"

"Jareth."

He rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose because he was unable to accept the fact that he was engaging in childish conversation with a grown fae who insisted on lying about.

"Sarah," he said pointedly.

"Jareth," she said, mocking his tone.

"If we break for lunch, could we get back to the lessons that you now deem unimportant, even with this new found knowledge?"

Sarah stood up and dusted off the back of her jeans. "Don't be nasty, Jareth. I would really like a break. My head is going to explode. So, yes to the food and then more hocus pocus."

Jareth's mouth thinned, and Sarah noticed his body beginning to tense. Before he could go off on a rant about something she didn't want to hear about, she grabbed his face and gave him a kiss on the corner of his mouth. _He has a tendency to take things too seriously._

"Only joking about the hocus pocus line, Jareth. Stop being so serious all the time."

Jareth grasped Sarah's wrists, not allowing her to remove her hands from his face.

"Do you wish to torment me?" he asked, his voice strained.

Sarah tilted her head up to look him in the eyes, genuinely confused. "Do I torment you, Jareth?"

"Every day," he confessed.

"Your Majesty!" cried Avitus as he walked toward the pair. "I'm told your midday meal is ready in the dining hall."

Jareth released her wrists and turned toward his advisor. "Yes, I know where I eat my meals, Avitus!" he snarled.

Avitus halted his steps, bowed to Jareth, and turned back to the castle's entrance. Avitus had been Jareth's advisor for many centuries. He knew when he was not wanted, and now was one of those times.

Sarah moved to Jareth's side and yelled to the exiting fae, "He means 'thank you'!"

Avitus gave Sarah a small smile and shook his head with mirth. "I will be surprised if this castle is still standing by week's end," he muttered to himself.

Sarah started to walk towards the door when Jareth brought her to a stop.

"Sarah…" he softly said.

"Let's not argue now, okay? Can we have a congenial meal? Please?" Sarah pleaded.

Jareth gave a nod of acquiescence and escorted her to the dining hall. After a few minutes of eating in silence, Sarah couldn't bear the tension.

"Jareth, I'm sor…"

"You really should learn to stop apologizing so much," Jareth interrupted.

"I didn't mean to upset you. That's all I wanted to say," Sarah explained.

"You didn't upset me," Jareth said dismissively as he continued to eat.

"Well, you sure did seem upset."

"Learn quickly, Sarah. I always seem upset," Jareth said tersely.

_Why must he be so childish?_ Sarah let out a defeated sigh.

"We can't keep doing this. I can't keep doing this. We fight over the stupidest stuff. It's as though we argue just to see how upset the other can become. We're stepping on each other's toes without knowing that we are hurting the other."

Jareth placed his silverware on the table, worrying his forehead with his fingers.

"We have come to some sort of impasse. And what are we going to do about this predicament?" Jareth asked. "You're certainly a stubborn imp, and I—"

"Have a temper straight from Hades and are as irritable as a baby with a five-day old rash," Sarah bit out.

The two faes glared at each other. After a few seconds, both their mouths began to curl. Jareth laughed first, naturally. Sarah's hands covered her face trying to hide the laugh she could no longer suppress.

"Oh god," Sarah whined.

"Why in the Underground would you want to change this?" Jareth asked still laughing.

"Because we'll both have an aneurism if we go on like this. How about this? We start over, sort of," she offered. "We can't undo the past between us; it would be impossible to forget or change it. And I wouldn't want to even if I could. But, we both start with a fresh slate. No grudges. No resentments. We both try to be more accepting about each other's, um, personality differences. What do you say? Deal?" Sarah held out her hand as a peace offering.

Jareth looked down at her hand and then back at Sarah. He grasped her hand with his and lifted it to his mouth for a kiss.

"Deal," he purred. As he released her hand, Jareth noticed a blush creeping into her cheeks.

"You're such a...a..."

"What, Precious?" Jareth asked, daring her to say something.

"A...never mind. Forget it," she muttered as she continued her meal

Jareth could not stop the smile that spread across his face. New beginnings or not, he always did like making her squirm. The two of them continued their meal in silence, however, this time the quiet in the air was less weighty.

"Jareth, I meant to ask you something kind of important," Sarah said as she finished her food. He raised an interested brow and nodded for her to continue.

Sarah looked down at her empty plate. "It's just, I was initially promised that if I agreed to return to the Underground, I would be able to visit my family, I mean, my Aboveground family, but only if I learned how to transport myself there. Obviously, that promise was a lie, but could you—if it's not too much?"

"Take you there to visit them?" Jareth said.

"Yeah. If it's not too much. You can just drop me off or something. I'll come right back," Sarah said, her eyes pleading his.

Jareth took a large gulp of wine from his chalice. "And you'll do what while you are there? I'm sure they'll love to hear your explanation of how you're an exiled fae princess from a magical land. I am a king, Sarah. I have much to do that doesn't involve casual field trips to the Aboveground. Besides, you should spend as much time as possible practicing your magic."

The hope from a moment ago fell from Sarah's face and was replaced with disappointment.

"Right. Of course," she said as she attempted to hide her melancholy expression. "Like I said, if it's not too much."

Jareth let out a small sigh. He always hated to see her distraught, and it was not her fault that she was lied to and left her family without any real knowledge of when she would return.

"I have meetings with my regional governors tomorrow afternoon. But," Jareth said as he extended his index finger toward her. "You will train for the rest of today and all of tomorrow afternoon until I take you. We'll arrive the day after tomorrow. Is all that clear?"

Sarah eyes went wide, and she nodded her head in earnest. "Yes! Of course," she said as she launched herself into his arms and sat in his lap, much to Jareth's surprise and pleasure. Sarah's arms clutched around his waist as her head rested on his shoulder, pure glee emanating from her. "Thank you. Thank you," she whispered into his ear. Jareth's gloved hand slowly stroked the hair on her back, savoring this moment for as long as it would last.

"You're very welcome, Precious," Jareth whispered back. Sarah reared her head back to look into his mismatched eyes.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Why do you always call me that?"

"Because…that's what you are," he said, brushing a flyaway hair from her face. Sarah smiled as he touched her face, enjoying his subtle caresses, and surprising herself by her own acceptance of his affection.

"Sire, one of the stable dwarves asked whether to feed the new horse a particular diet or the same as the others," Avitus asked as he walked into the dining hall.

"Bloody fool. Always has terrible timing," Jareth mumbled into Sarah's hair as he nuzzled her shoulder.

Avitus slowed his walk as he came closer to the embracing couple. Sarah noticed Avitus' obvious discomfort as he stood awaiting instructions from Jareth, who was too busy nestling Sarah's neck.

"Her name is Daisy," Sarah said, trying to nudge the fae king off her shoulder yet failing miserably since Jareth's arm tightened its hold around her waist. "She eats what every other horse does. She does, however, prefer oats and carrots. Let go of me."

"Never," Jareth said while nipping Sarah's ear. "You have your answer, Avitus. Now, go away."

Sarah pushed against his chest, and she finally wrestled her way out of his arms, standing to walk toward the advisor.

"Avitus? Jareth's advisor? Nice to finally meet you. I'm Sarah," she introduced herself with an outstretched hand. Avitus looked down at her hand with confusion.

"Oh, right," Sarah said as she pulled her arm back. "That's a human custom. Sorry. I forget the difference sometimes." Avitus smiled and gave a small bow.

"Well, I must say, I'm happy to see that at least someone in this room has manners," Avitus said as he looked over to see Jareth leaning back in his chair directing a miserable sneer at the advisor. _Apparently, the king already misses having a companion in his arms_, Avitus thought.

"Human customs?" Avitus queried. "Clearly you have magic. I can sense it. However, you look human."

Jareth let out a loud groan as his head fell to his hands. Sarah turned back and forth between Jareth and Avitus.

"What?" She wondered aloud.

Avitus' eyes became wide with recognition. "No. But you cannot be her. Why is the Seelie Princess here without an escort?"

"Damn it, Sarah," Jareth complained. "He didn't know who you were."

"Rest assured, Your Majesty and Your Highness…"

"Ugh. You do not need to call me that," Sarah offered.

"Just let him. Being overly proper brings him joy," Jareth said, giving his advisor a smirk.

Avitus overtly cleared his throat. "As I was saying, rest assured, as a loyal subject to the throne and His Majesty, your secret is safe with me, Princess Sarah."

"Just Sarah," she corrected. Avitus gave her an odd look.

"There's no need for titles or anything," she expounded.

Avitus turned his head to Jareth, the odd expression still on his face.

"Sarah, just let him call you by your titles," Jareth said in bored tones. "You'll get a headache otherwise."

She shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to make a large ordeal out of a menial detail. "All right, Avitus. Address me as you see proper, I guess."

Avitus gave a low bow to both of them as he left the room. Sarah turned to face Jareth, hands on her hips.

"So. What are we going to do for the rest of the day?" Sarah asked. A wicked smirk formed on Jareth's mouth. As he slowly rose from his seat, he said, "My dear Sarah, forgotten already?"

* * *

><p>"Ah! Damn it!" Sarah yelled as a crystal flew by her, narrowly missing her face. She ran through the garden dodging crystals being thrown by Jareth. She was supposed to be counteracting the attacks with her hands, which by now glowed red with her magic. However, after a few near hits, Sarah decided to take off running, no matter how many times Jareth reassured her that the crystals were harmless.<p>

After lunch, Jareth escorted Sarah out to the garden and, without hesitation, began to throw crystals at her. Luckily for Sarah, her magic immediately protected her with a small cloudy red barrier around her. Jareth continued to pummel the barrier until it began to crack. After the barrier fell, Sarah began to successfully bat away the crystals, at least, until Jareth decided to throw more crystals. At that point, Sarah ran for cover.

"Sarah! Stop running!" Jareth bellowed, amusement coloring his tone.

"Stop throwing things at me!" She yelled behind a tall hedge.

"The point of this exercise isn't to play hide and seek," Jareth called out as he sauntered around the garden with a crystal in his hand. "How are you to learn to quickly use your magic if you just run away?"

Sarah peeked through the bushes to ensure that Jareth was not on her trail. "How is throwing orbs at me supposed to help?" she cried back.

Jareth walked around the hedges, peering over the tops in search of Sarah. "Hand-eye coordination, Sarah. You can't just meditate all day to gain access to your magic. You must learn to think fast and effectively."

"You could have warned me," she said.

"I wanted to check your reflexes," he replied.

"What are you, a doctor?" She yelled. "Stay away from me!"

Jareth let out a loud, all-encompassing laugh that filled the air. In shock, Sarah jumped up from her hiding place. Unfortunately for Sarah, he spotted her immediately from the opposite side of the garden. Their eyes met.

"Shit," she muttered as she turned to run and ran right into him.

"And where do you think you're going?" he said with a menacing smile.

Sarah surrendered and placed her glowing red hands up in the air. "This isn't fun anymore," she said. "Also, you cheated."

"It was never fun for you. However, I still find it very entertaining," Jareth said as he threw the crystal at her. Sarah blocked the attack as Jareth continued the assault, backing her up closer to the castle walls. Faster and faster, Jareth threw crystals and even faster Sarah blocked his attacks. Sarah raised her hands in triumph when she blocked the last of Jareth's crystal balls.

"I did it! Not once did those stupid crystals of yours hit me," Sarah shouted in triumph. Jareth stalked toward Sarah during her small celebration. One moment, she was basking in her victory and the next she was being tackled by the Goblin King.

"Ugh! Get off of me!" Sarah demanded. "What are you doing?" Jareth pinned her hands above her head and straddled her legs to stop the inevitable thrashing.

"Rule number one, Sarah. The lesson is not to block the magic being used against you, but to stop the one who is using the magic," Jareth whispered in her ear while giving her ear a little nip. "You lose, Precious."

Sarah blew out a puff of air. "You didn't even tell me the rules. How am I supposed to know how to win?"

"Last time I checked, your enemy won't tell you his plans ahead of time," Jareth said. "You must figure that out on your own."

"Cheat," she mumbled.

Jareth dipped his head to her shoulder and gave her a small kiss. "Sore loser," he murmured in response.

Sarah noticed Jareth still had a hold of her arms. "You should let me go," she whispered. She swallowed the lump that developed in her throat.

"I don't want to," he admitted as he nuzzled her neckline. Sarah's heart beat so rapidly that she almost feared that he would be able to hear its sporadic beats. Jareth released Sarah's arms as he traced her collarbone with a gloved finger. Noticing the rise and fall of her chest and her dilated eyes, Jareth ceased touching Sarah. His mismatched eyes captured hers as he stared into their deep jade depths.

"Do I make you nervous, Sarah?" he asked.

Sarah brought her hand to his brow to move several strands of wispy blond hair away from his eyes. "No," she answered with certainty.

Without hesitation, Jareth lips were on hers. His kiss was hungry and desperate. The kiss caught Sarah off guard, but she quickly reciprocated Jareth's advances. Jolts of want and desire traveled through her body. The heady sensations from Jareth's ministrations felt electrifying; in ways she never believed a kiss could be. Sarah's hand latched onto his hair, attempting to hold him in place as her free hand grabbed at the front of his shirt, bringing his body closer.

Meanwhile, Jareth reached a gloved hand behind her neck to pull her closer to him. Her small moans of pleasure were music to his ears, a glorious sound he never wanted to stop hearing. She slowly caressed his head with her hand. His lips left hers as he peppered kisses up and down her neck, allowing Sarah to catch her breath. Realization of where they were and what they were doing sobered Sarah instantly. She let go of his hair and started to push against Jareth's chest.

"Jareth, we have to stop." Sarah's voice was breathless, soft, a little gravely, and sexy as hell for Jareth.

"No," he growled in response, nipping her neck in protest. Rational thought was quickly leaving his mind as his kisses traveled further down to her chest. In her attempt to stop him, Sarah wrapped her legs around his torso and flipped them both so that she straddled Jareth. Seeing the Cheshire cat grin on his face, Sarah wondered if her brilliant idea of escape might not backfire.

"If you wanted to be on top, Precious, all you had to do was ask. Not my most favorite position," he said as he gave a slight thrust. "But definitely top ten."

Having found her voice and trusting it fully, Sarah placed her hands on his chest. "Seriously, stop… wait. Top ten? TEN?" she said in wide-eyed bewilderment.

Jareht let out a snort. "Male humans lack imagination; I never would have imagined," he scoffed.

"Whatever. I don't want to be doing this," she said as she gestured between her and Jareth. "In a public place."

"It's not a public place. These are my private gardens—"

"Where advisors can just walk out," she interrupted.

"It's much more exciting that way," Jareth smirked. His smile fell slightly as Sarah's words finally registered with him. He tilted his head to the side and said, "Your objections are geography based?"

She crossed her arms over her chest in objection. "I'm sorry that I don't want everyone to see my ass and other things. You may be into that, but I'm certainly not," Sarah said. Jareth sat up, an arm wrapped her around the waist, ensuring that Sarah did not move from his lap and grabbed her face with his free hand.

Searching her jade eyes, his mouth went dry as he struggled to find the proper words to say. He brought his gloved thumbed up to trace her lips, resisting the urge to kiss them again.

"That's not what I meant. You do not object to me? To us? Being with me doesn't repulse you?" he asked.

His question was baffling to her. _Repulsed? Why should I see him as repulsive? _

Sarah took hold of his wrist, slowly caressing the skin left exposed by his glove.

Sarah let loose a sly smile. "You silly king. Why would I find you repulsive? If I didn't think there would be an 'us', I would've shot you across the garden a long time ago."

Jareth flipped them again causing Sarah to hit the ground with a small thud. He brought his face nose to nose with Sarah's. "I'd like to see you try," Jareth countered.

"Kingy!" came a loud squeak several feet behind them.

"They're buggers, the lot of them. Everyone in this bloody kingdom," Jareth moaned into Sarah's hair. She could not hold back the chuckle that escaped her.

"Don't act so condescending. You love them," she offered.

"I tolerate them," he corrected.

"Kingy!" the voice squeaked out again, this time closer.

"What do you want, you impatient imp!" Jareth yelled as he removed himself from Sarah and sat on the ground next to her.

The green imp jumped on the toe of Jareth's shoe; Sarah recognized him immediately.

"Rasch!" Sarah cried.

The imp's large orange eyes grew larger as he saw the brunette sitting next to his King. "Princess Sarah?" Rasch marveled aloud. The imp climbed up on Sarah to give her a big imp-sized hug around her neck.

Jareth's eyes rolled as he took in the scene before him. "Oh yes. How could I forget? You have an uncanny ability to make friends with my subjects wherever you go. I should make certain to never truly upset you. You'll lead a revolution against me."

"Don't be jealous, Jareth," Sarah joked as she placed Rasch back on the grass.

"I'm not jealous of a senseless imp," Jareth muttered to himself as he produced an apple and a knife.

"What are you doing with that?" Sarah asked while he started cutting off slices from the fruit.

Jareth tossed a slice to Rasch. "Imps crave friendship and attention, but they get annoying rather quickly. Feeding this one tempers the stupidity," Jareth explained.

Sarah shook her head at his constant insults. "If he's so stupid, why do you put up with him?"

"He's able to go places without being seen, and his speech is impeccable for an imp," Jareth explained.

Sarah turned to Rasch and said, "So, my little imp friend, long time no see. What are you so excited about?"

"I goes on mission for Kingy. And I cames back with information, just like he told me too," Rasch said while chewing on the presented pieces of apple.

"And what thrilling information do you have for me?" he asked.

"Everythings was like last time I was there. Except theres no big party," Rasch said with a mouthful of apple. "No mentions of a missing princess by the anyones."

Jareth rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Odd."

Rasch rushed over to Jareth and plucked an apple slice out of his hand. "Buts I was able to sneaks in on a meeting with the other kingy over there."

"And?"

Rasch spoke in between apple chews. "He's talking to some ones with cloaked hood."

"A Seer?" Sarah guessed.

"I's don't know. He ordered the cloaked hood one to do something in thirty days. I didn't hear what it was," Rasch shrugged. "Theys also talked about the Elven kingdom wanting to fight with them and buildings up an armies. Treaty being broken, I's think they said. At the ends of the meeting, guards dragged the hoodie guy away."

Sarah could not believe what the imp just said. "The elven kingdom is going to war with the Seelie Court? And a seer being imprisoned? That's insane."

"Not the Seelie Court. Sounds like just the Kingdom of the Faes. Seems like the other kingdoms want nothing to do with this," Jareth pondered. "Or know anything about this. Although, I'm not certain why Oberon would give a seer an order and then have him dragged away by guards. "

"This doesn't make any sense. And how is my disappearance not known by everyone?" Sarah asked. "I'm kind of insulted."

"How many different individuals did you encounter on a daily basis?" Jareth countered.

"Um… one. Maybe two. Okay. Fine. But the rest?"

"Your powers are great and could be used as some sort of a weapon. Why not keep the fact that you are missing hidden? Seems things have gone terribly wrong for Oberon; there is no advantage for him to spread rumors of a war with the elves. All that would do is reveal him for the insane fae he is. The Seer is probably trying to find you in order to bring you back."

"Why haven't they been able to find me?"

"Did no one tell you?" Jareth asked. He was met with a blank stare from Sarah.

"No. Of course, you weren't told. Your magic shields you from scrying magic, Sarah. If someone is trying to find you using magic, they'll be playing a losing game," Jareth said.

"But, they found me before," Sarah stated. "And I didn't have magic."

"Have you forgotten already, Sarah? You still had remnants of your magic. Even the little bit you had left shielded you," he explained. "They found because you were back at the home they left you at as a child. If they could have found you in your own home in the land of Seattle, they would have come for you there."

"So, the entire Seelie Court is going to be torn apart because of me," Sarah said.

"Listen to me," Jareth demanded. "None of this is your fault. Oberon has himself to blame for this. These situations usually have timelines. Rasch, did you hear any sort of time frame for this war?

"Thirty day!" yelled the imp, spitting apple pieces from his mouth. "I's knew it would be important so I made sure Is didn't forget thirty." Sarah smiled at the green imp. His enthusiasm was amusing to watch.

"Seems Oberon likes thirty days. We have thirty days then to prepare," Jareth said as he stood up. He offered his hand to Sarah which she took.

"Prepare for what?" She asked.

"I don't know, but I know it will include you becoming stronger with your magic," he said.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ****Continual thanks to the readers of this story... You complete me. Just kidding; that's creepy.**


	13. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: Still own nothing. Original characters are the property of Henson Co._

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><p>Chapter 12<p>

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

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><p>"What need do you have of me, Oberon?" spat King Aiden of the Elves. "I would like to know what is of such importance that I must come to the Palace. Unless the Princess has been found, a missive would have sufficed."<p>

"If you would sit instead of complaining like a child, we could move this meeting along," Oberon sneered.

Aiden sat opposite Oberon in his Palace office. It had been nearly twelve hours since the Seelie Court was rocked with the news that the princess was missing, and the Elven Kingdom would go to war if she was not found. King Aiden had been nursing a massive headache ever since the announcement. This ruse of Oberon's was giving him a headache. Neither he nor Aiden would go against the other, but Oberon needed the spectacle of the missing heir in order to stall until he could come up with an idea. Aiden didn't understand the reasoning behind Oberon's deception, but he did as he was told.

"How well is your proclamation going?" Oberon asked.

Aiden rolled his eyes. "If you meant to send everyone into a panic, you got what you wanted. I've been fielding messages from my subjects for hours. That's all I've been doing." Aiden rubbed his head in his hand, exhaustion emanating from him.

"Her powers have grown far beyond what we expected. No amount of magic has been able to detect her," Oberon explained.

"Then you are wasting my time. I could have told you that," Aiden said as he stood from his chair. "Did you see her eyes? They were glowing red! Red, Oberon! That was never supposed to happen."

"Sit. Down. I brought you here because I have another plan that I could not risk being discovered."

Aiden collapsed in the chair. He was becoming very tiresome of Oberon's plans. "Well?"

"The Unseelie have Sarah in their kingdom," Oberon said.

"Do you take me for a fool? That rumor was used years ago. If you think I have forgotten that trick to send her Aboveground, you are dimmer than I realized," Aiden said.

"That is the other rumor that we will spread among the Court, you idiot," Oberon spat. "Everyone was willing to die to protect her from a kidnapping plot before. Just imagine how they will act when they now hear their precious princess has been taken by the Unseelie."

"Ha, as though anyone would believe that. They would sooner believe she was ripped to shreds if she crossed into their lands," Aiden postulated. "Surely, if she has been taken by Lochlan, he would've let that be known."

"Have you forgotten? Lochlan is like any other male fae, and any reasonable creature would see how he would take Sarah for himself. My progeny is known to be a sight to behold," Oberon said with pride. "It's certainly reasonable that he would keep her disappearance quiet."

"You're going to start another Great War," Aiden reasoned. "Lochlan may not have her, but he's not one to back down from a chance to slaughter our people."

"Sarah would never allow that to happen. She cares too much for her own good. The moment she hears that thousands could die because of her absence, she'll come out of whatever hovel she's hiding in," Oberon explained. "Regardless, I've told the High Seer to try again. You were right. We should have gone ahead with the backup plan ten years ago."

"Of course, I was right. All your plans must be so elaborate. Simplicity is key," Aiden said with more pride in his voice than necessary. "Have you given thought to the idea that she's with the Goblin King. He was nearly salivating all over her during the ball."

"I have no doubt that's where she is. Whether he helped her to escape or not, I don't know, but he has her. I'm certain of it."

"Then why not march on the Goblin Kingdom! Why all these fabrications?" Aiden yelled. "We're wasting time."

"Have you forgotten about the children he provides the Court with? And he's such a boisterous fae; he'll have the entire Underground knowing what was happening. I'd have riots on my hands if we went against him. And, we both know how massive his army is. No, we have to go against Lochlan. Jareth has never stood by his brother, and he won't this time," Oberon reasoned.

"I don't know about this," Aiden said with his head in his hand. "The Goblin King may not stand by his brother, but your previous history with him coupled with Sarah; he won't just let her walk away."

"Of course not, but Sarah will leave. Once she sees the mess she's caused, she'll return. She'll be too determined to allow him to control her," Oberon reasoned.

Aiden vigorously rubbed his head with his hands. "This was not supposed to be so complicated. Send the girl above, leave her to live and die a mortal life while we harness the magic as our own. Simple. It was supposed to be so simple."

"We did the best we can!" Oberon banged his fist on his desk. "No one could predict that her magic could only be used by her. You know damn well that is why we had to bring her back; how was I to know that she was able to use her magic without lessons? The magic she unleashed—we've never experienced that before; if I just kept her locked in the tower, we would have brought too much attention to ourselves. That worked in our favor until she reached of age. We couldn't go on with that farce anymore," Oberon said.

"And what happens once she comes back?" Aiden inquired.

"She is no longer of any use to us. She'll be disposed of, and the war will continue. But we'll do it right next time," he postulated.

"This had better work, Oberon, for all our sakes. The most powerful thing in the Underground is running around doing Gods knows what in Gods knows where. If she finds out any of this, we'll all see the Fade sooner than later. Clearly, she's not as passive as you had hoped."


	14. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Henson Co_

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><p>Chapter 13<p>

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world_

* * *

><p>Sarah had never been a morning person. So, the tickling sensation she felt that caused her to slowly wake up made her languidly swat her hand across her face in a refusal to open her eyes, hoping to go back to sleep. The menacing object flickered across her face again.<p>

"Stupid fly," she muttered as she tried to roll on her side. Sarah discovered that she couldn't move because something pinned her at the waist. She felt a small rumble across her chest along with the sound of a low chuckled. Her eyes flew open to see Jareth's mirth filled eyes staring back at her.

"Get off of me!" she demanded. "What are you doing?"

"Good morning, Sarah. Just as charming as ever first thing in morning, I see," Jareth said. As he started to lower his torso on to Sarah's, she grasped his shoulders attempting to push him away from her, but he couldn't be budged.

_Damn, he's stronger than he looks. _She noticed Jareth's gaze drop from her face to her chest.

"I can do with this view for a while," Jareth muttered, his blond hair fell onto her cheeks. Sarah followed his gaze and realized that her bed sheets were dropping dangerously low; anymore movement and Sarah would be giving him quite a view indeed. She really needed to ask that seamstress for a nightgown.

"Get. Off. Me," she bit out. Suddenly, she released Jareth's shoulder as she curled into a ball on her side with the sheets clutched to her chest. She may have inadvertently kneed Jareth in the stomach during the process. It's not her fault that he wouldn't listen. A small groan of pain emanated from Jareth who was now lying on his side glaring at Sarah and holding his stomach.

"I told you to move," Sarah sighed.

"But it was worth it," Jareth smirked.

"Idiot," Sarah laughed.

"Ball buster," he teased. He gave Sarah a wide smile, the type of smile that she rarely ever saw him display. The look on his face warmed her heart, even if he did wake her at an unbearable hour.

Jareth noticed that Sarah was still curled in a fetal position with much of the bedding against her chest.

"Why Sarah, if you are cold in this bed, feel free to join me in mine, or I can join you here. I'm known for my hospitality, and I'd hate to see you catch cold," he murmured, his gaze taking in her form. He leisurely moved across the bed toward Sarah until he was stopped with her hand to his chest.

"Stay over there. In fact, get out of the bed. What are you doing in here anyway? Did Darcy finally have enough of your nonsense and quit?"

"I gave her the day off, or she ran away. I don't know, and I don't really care," he said as he pushed Sarah onto her back. Sarah knew she shouldn't let him back on top of her or let him grab her by the back of the neck, and she definitely shouldn't let him kiss her. But damn it, his kisses felt good; Jareth felt good. In an hour, she would blame her lack of willpower on her groggy state of mind, but for now she was willing to indulge in Jareth's little carnal game. She was starting to like his impromptu behavior more than she would like to admit.

Jareth had the best intentions when he walked into Sarah's chamber this morning. He truly did. Last night, he decided that they both needed a break. Even though she must get better with her magic, learning that she was some sort of magical anomaly as well as some sort of war machine had to be wearing her down. He sent word that his meeting would wait until the following day. Today, he would take Sarah away from the Castle and allow her to breathe a little, not let her worry that she was some ploy in her parent's terrible plot.

Jareth's plan was not purely altruistic. He had yet to have Sarah all to himself without interruption. He didn't have the most experience at wooing and courting females, his past record with Sarah being a prime example of his lack of skill, but he knew that no matter what the future held Avitus was right: this may be his last chance. Regardless of the verbal sparring between the two of them, Jareth had not felt this happy in, well, ever. He lost his heart to her over twelve years ago, and he was not about to let it go again without a fight. But damn his little minx, the moment he saw her sleeping under the sheets with no night clothes on what little altruism he had vanished. Jareth told himself to remember to forbid the seamstress from making Sarah sleeping garments. Forget leaving the Castle; he was fine with staying in her chambers all day. If they wanted a change of scenery, they could go across the hall to his chambers.

The smell of her hair, the softness of her lips, and the sound of her sighs were enough to make him threaten death to anyone who dared to interrupt them this time around.

"Let go," Jareth mumbled against Sarah's collar bone as he tried to tug the sheets from her grasp. Before Sarah could say anything, a low grumble rang throughout the room—her stomach announced its displeasure at being ignored. Jareth ceased his worship of her neck to stare at Sarah. She could not help herself and let out a loud laugh. Jareth rolled his eyes。

"That was funny, you have to admit," Sarah said.

"Even your stomach conspires against me," Jareth said as he stood next to the bed. "Tell it to calm down. I brought you breakfast, and I have activities planned for us today."

"I need to go to the bathroom," Sarah said while sitting up in the bed, making certain that she covered her upper body.

"Do you always announce that to whoever is in the room?" he asked.

"I'm naked under all this."

Jareth's leering glare scanned the length of her body. "Trust me, I know."

"Turn around," Sarah scoffed.

"What makes you think I want to do that?" he countered.

"Jareth!"

"All right. Be a prude," he said as he turned his back to her. "You are no fun whatsoever."

He heard Sarah shuffling off the bed and muffled a curse.

"Shows how much you know me, Goblin King. You have no idea how fun I can be," she said in her best low sultry voice. Jareth spun around to see Sarah behind the bathroom door with only her bare shoulder and head sticking out, a wide grin on her face.

"Don't tempt me, minx," Jareth said in a strained voice. Sarah shut the door; her laughter loud enough it carried through the door.

When Sarah finished in the bathroom, she wrapped up in her robe and dashed from the bathroom to the closet, slamming the door behind her. Jareth's laugh could be heard as she put on clothes. She realized that she had no idea what activities Jareth had planned.

"Hey! What did you have planned for us?" she asked as she stuck her head out from behind the closet door. Jareth looked to the bed they were recently in and bit back a frustrated groan.

"I told the seamstress to make you some riding clothes. Wear those," he called back from the sitting area.

Before now, Jareth had not bothered to look at what the seamstress made for Sarah, but as she exited her closet, he reminded himself to give that elf a raise. Dressed in a fitted white, long sleeved shirt, tight fitted khaki trousers with a brown belt, and black knee high riding boots, she made Jareth forget that those clothes were meant for riding horses. The things he wanted to do with those curves—

"Where's the food?" she said, snapping him out of his thoughts. He stood from the chair, grabbed Sarah by the hand, and escorted her out to the balcony. A small seating area awaited them with two plates on the table.

"You know, I haven't even thought to come out here yet," she said as she sat in the chair Jareth pulled out for her.

"Not surprised. You've been rather busy," Jareth said.

The view from her balcony showed the Labyrinth in the foreground with a brief patch of barren land closest to the maze. Further out, she saw heavily wooded mountains on the horizon.

"Is all that yours?" She asked while chewing on a biscuit.

"Yes. Those mountains are most of the Northeastern province. As a matter of fact, that is where we are going today," Jareth answered.

Sarah's eyes went wide with excitement. "We're going mountain climbing?"

"Do those look like climbing clothes to you? The morning fog is hiding them, but there are smaller hills before you get to the mountains. We'll be going there by horse," he informed.

Sarah gave him a leveled look. "Do you think that place is better to practice magic with? And what about your important meetings?"

"I gave word to the governors that I'm changing the meeting to tomorrow morning. They're staying in the guest wing of the castle. As for your magic, consider today a day off," he shrugged. Sarah quickly stood from her chair, startling Jareth.

"Okay, I'm ready to go now."

"All you ate is some bread," he pointed out.

"Who cares? Can't we take it with us? I wanna see Daisy," she said with all the energy of a five year old. Jareth smiled but was not going to let her rush things. He had a schedule he wanted to stick to, and one of those things was sitting and enjoying a leisurely breakfast with his Sarah.

He pointed to her forgotten chair. "Sit and finish the meal." Sarah plopped herself into the chair and glared at him while biting into a peach.

Holding up the peach, she said, "Think yourself clever with this one?"

"It's my castle. Only expected that the tomte would serve us my favorite fruit," he smirked.

"Giving me the drugged peach—that wasn't funny, by the way," Sarah said.

"It wasn't a joke," he said with a straight face. All the humor that was previously there, now gone.

"Then what was it about then?" Sarah asked. Jareth said nothing as he bit into his peach, scowling as he chewed.

"Are you just going to sit there and not say anything?"

"There's nothing for me to say, Sarah," he said curtly. For the sake of both their sanities, Sarah dropped the subject. The last thing she wanted was to cause a fight. Jareth will have to answer her one day, but she could let this go for the time being.

Like the angel from heaven that Sarah now believed her to be, Darcy came through the front door, asking where Sarah was.

"I'm out here, Darcy," she yelled back.

The old goblin made her way to the balcony doors. "Oh, Pardon me, Your Majesty. I didn't know you'd be here."

"I changed my schedule at the last minute. Sarah and I will be gone for most of the day once we finish here," he said.

"If that's the case, I'll come back when both of you are gone to clean the chambers." She gave a bow to Jareth and left the pair alone.

Sarah gave a small sigh. "Jareth—"

"Don't you dare apologize. My temper," he trailed off. "I didn't mean to upset you, and I'm not cross. We're starting over, yes?" Sarah gave him a small smile and nodded.

"And as a reward for finishing your food, we will go on our excursion." He stood up, offering Sarah his hand.

"You make me sound like a child at day camp," she complained.

"If the shoe fits," he said and was rewarded with a punch in the arm.

Jareth massaged his arm, trying to take away the sting. "I don't know why I take such abuse from you."

Sarah looked up at Jareth and gave him a huge smile. _That's why_, he thought.

"How do you know so much Aboveground jargon?" she asked as they made their way through the castle to the stables.

"Have you forgotten one of my duties?"

"Well no. But that doesn't mean you have to pick up on what people say."

"The Underground gets a bit tiresome after all this time. When escaping to my private homes throughout the kingdom isn't enough, I've been known to take a day trip or two Above," he explained. "It's nice to see a grand picture of human progress. Boggles the mind."

"I didn't think many fae go Above anymore," she said.

"And I'm not many fae, Sarah. Haven't you learned by now?"

"Yeah. Yeah. You're just very special," she laughed; his grip tightened on her hand.

"Don't think I don't know what that means," he growled. Sarah reached up on her tip toes and kissed him on the forehead.

"Like you said, you're not many fae," Sarah said. "Ah, the stables!" She released his hand and ran toward the building.

"That wench," he muttered as he followed after her. "Watch out for the Hob," he cried out. "Sarah!"

"The what?" she yelled back and promptly tripped over something.

"Gah!" bellowed a gravelly voice.

"Excuse her, Sebastian, she has a habit of not looking where she's going," Jareth said as he helped Sarah up. Apparently, Sarah's method of meeting new people was running into them.

"No worries, Your Majesty," Sebastian said as he slowly rose from the ground, dusting off his clothes. The Hob had leathery grey skin and stood about four feet tall with long pointed ears and nose. Wearing a wide brim hat and well-worn clothes, he definitely spent much of his time outside.

"I'm sorry, um, Sebastian for running into you. I really should start watching where I'm going," Sarah said.

The creature blushed and bowed his head. "It's all right, m'lady. You meant nothin' by it."

"Oh bloody hell!" Jareth exclaimed as he dragged Sarah into the stables.

Sarah wretched her arm from his grasps. "What was that outburst for?"

"He's a hob, Sarah. He prefers to go mostly unnoticed, and when he doesn't, he becomes outraged and starts throwing things. But with you, he blushes and bats his eyes. Stop befriending my subjects," he barked.

Sarah softly patted Jareth on the chest with her hands. "Aww. Do we need to have the jealousy talk? I'm sure they love you too. They just show it differently, like lobbing things at your head."

He let out an irritated growl.

Sarah pointed at the aggravated king as she walked away. "Don't stop being you, Jareth," she said as she made her way to the horses.

Sarah made her way to Daisy's stall. The mare must have seen her owner arriving because the large beast made her way to the front of the stall. Her bright, alert eyes welcomed the sight of Sarah and gave her friend a soft nicker.

"I missed you too, Daisy," Sarah said, giving the horse's nose a soft pat.

"Sebastian should have made a saddle for her. It should be in the stall," Jareth called out.

Sarah opened the door and joined her horse. "Let's get you tacked up."

When Sarah was done, she led her horse out of the stall and noticed that Jareth was nowhere to be seen.

"It's about time you came out here. I wondered if you were going to spend all day in the stables," Jareth said as she exited the building. Sarah looked at him and the large black stallion next to him.

"How did you do that so quickly?" Sarah demanded.

"Magic of course," he said with a smirk.

Sarah's eye narrowed. "Oh, forget you."

Jareth released a hearty laugh as Sarah mounted her horse. After Jareth mounted his stallion, he pointed to the horizon and said, "See those hills? The top of the shortest one is where we're going. It's about two and a half leagues away. Want to make this interesting and have race?"

"Really? Against your horse?" Sarah gave Jareth and his stallion a quick glance. "You're riding a thoroughbred stallion. The odds are in your favor."

"Have no faith in your Daisy, Sarah?" Jareth mocked.

Sarah slowly shook her head. "She jumps very well, but I've never raced her before," she explained.

Jareth pointed to the horse's hindquarters. "She mixed with a thoroughbred somewhere along the line. You're selling her short."

"I'm not racing my horse through a maze," she complained as she gestured to the ivy covered wall of the Labyrinth in front of them. With an all-knowing smile, Jareth twisted his right wrist and a clear path formed to the barren plains.

Sarah paled. "Are you serious?"

"Yes or no, Sarah. Time is short," he smirk. _Really?_ She thought.

"On two conditions: no magic; no cheating," she said.

With a nod from Jareth, she said, "On the count of three." As though ready for the challenge, both horses pawed the grass with their hooves, moving their heads to glare and snort at the other as their riders poised themselves for the race.

On the count of three, Jareth and his stallion took off through the path. Regardless of what Jareth said, Sarah knew Daisy wouldn't make the entire race at full speed, magical world or not. No worries though, that stallion would have his troubles going up that hill near the end of the race.

Two hours later, Jareth and his horse made their way to the top of the hill; he caught the smug look of Sarah and her horse as they waited there for his arrival.

"Take that self-satisfied grin off your face," he said making his way over to her.

"No, I don't think I will," she said as they both dismounted their horses.

"And just a bit ago, you were worried that you were going to lose," he said.

"Oh, but she's a good girl. Aren't you Daisy?" she crooned to the horse while vigorously patting Daisy's neck; the horse's head bobbed up and down in agreement.

Jareth rolled his eyes. "You spoil that horse."

"But she's such a good, good girl," she crooned, mocking Jareth.

"Stop doing that."

Sarah laughed as she made her way over to a small boulder leaving Daisy to do what she did best: eat grass. Jareth joined Sarah on the ground resting his head against a rock. The Castle and the Labyrinth stared back at them.

"How do you feel?" He asked gesturing to her legs.

"Sore… and victorious," she stated. He snorted and leaned over to grab her legs. No light emitted from his hands or her legs, but she felt the effects of his magic immediately.

"How long before I'm able to do that?" she inquired.

"You have many more important things to master before you start dealing with someone's health," he said. "Even I can only do rudimentary things. Healers are still needed."

"Am I going to be ready in time?" Sarah worried her lower lip with her teeth, uncertainty beginning to weigh heavy on her.

"Define 'ready.' Magic is not something to be fully mastered. There are things to learn all the time. If I wanted to be as proficient as a healer, I could, but everything else would suffer. Magic is a journey, Sarah, not a destination," he explained. "Certain aspects of magic I have considerable skill in, and others I have just a basic understanding."

Sarah turned to regard Jareth fully. "I mean, how far am I away from not having the magical skills of toddler, as you so eloquently put it."

"My Precious Sarah, you no longer have the skills of a toddler. It's now more like a preschooler."

Her eyes narrowed. "I should pelt you with crystals."

"See, there. Something a child would do," Jareth said. Sarah released a growl as she tackled Jareth, not that he was putting up much of a fight.

"I'm not a child," she gritted as she pinned him to the ground.

"Yes, I know," he said. Sarah leaned down and kissed him on the cheek before standing up to brush dirt of her clothes.

"Tease," he said as he sat back up.

Sarah gave him a smirk as she started to climb the boulder.

"Did you bring any food?" she asked.

"Is that all you think about?"

"I'm getting hungry. Forgive me for not wanting to faint," she said as she sat down.

"Enjoying the view?" he said. He decided to follow her up the rock. Jareth produced two crystals out of the air, which turned into two small sacks filled with food, sandwiches and fruit to be exact. He handed one of them to Sarah.

"Thanks, and it is a nice view actually. So this is the Northeastern province? I assume that means your kingdom is divided into quadrants."

"We are right on the border of the Province. And yes, the kingdom is divided into four provinces with the Castle in the center."

"So what makes each Province so special?" she asked.

"The northern part of the kingdom is known for its mining and trees. Limestone, slate, opals, and such things are mined here in the east. In the west, gold, silver, platinum, and there is one section where there is iron, but that hasn't been mined in years.

Sarah's eyebrows rose to new heights. "Iron? How the hell does anyone mine iron, and what would you do with it?"

"I told you: it's not mined anymore, but when it was, the humans would mine it, and I used it for potential military purposes, naturally," he explained. This conversation was heading into a grim direction that Sarah did not want to go.

"What's in the south?" Sarah asked with her mouth filled with food. Jareth gave her a side eyed glance at her peculiar behavior.

"The southwest is heavily vegetated. Most of the kingdom's crops are grown in that region and the southeast," he shrugged. "That area is most barren. Few live there, and I don't blame them. Not much grows there, and it's bordered by the Unseelie forest."

"Let me get this straight: you have various mines, trees to harvest, and fertile crop lands. Do you have trade relations with the other kingdoms?"

"I try not trade. The less I have to do with the other kingdoms, the better," he stated.

"Reclusive much?" she jested.

"My subjects harbor no goodwill toward the courts that surround us. It works in my favor that I act with their feelings. And, yes, I might be bit of a recluse," he said with a small smile.

"So, where are these gorges that gave you your crazy eyes?"

"My eyes aren't crazy," he scoffed. "They just add to the many unique qualities that inhabit me." Sarah rolled her eyes so hard she thought they went all the way to the back of her head.

Jareth chuckled. "The gorges are many leagues behind us, over the mountain range. I believe I was around eleven at the time, possible twelve. My brother and I were playing in the then newly human settled town of Oasis Steppes. It's a beautiful town that stands tall in the middle of the gorges. The only way to get in for anyone without the magical ability to transport or transform is by one bridge. And I had just learned gravity control. One day, I thought it would be entertaining to walk down the side of the town to the bottom of the gorge. My idiot brother thought it would be more entertaining to bombard me with crystals as I made my way down. I ignored him for the most part until he hit me hard on my boot heal. I was nearly three quarters of the way to the bottom. I lost my footing, and fell. I had yet to learn transporting. And so, down I went until my face hit rock."

"Holy crap," Sarah exclaimed. "How are you still alive?"

Jareth raised his finely sculpted eyebrow. "Fae, or have you forgotten who we are? I didn't land in a sea of liquid iron. However, I was out for three days. Stupid bugger of a brother."

"Where is he anyway? Does he help run things?"

Jareth tensed, and Sarah noticed. "He has nothing to do with this place. Besides, he's not worth mentioning."

Apparently, that was a scab he didn't want picked. "So," Sarah diverted as she snuggled under Jareth's arm. "Tell me more about this place." Jareth's body relaxed as he wrapped his arm across Sarah's shoulders, holding her close. In response, she placed her arms around his waist. Jareth felt ecstatic as she reciprocated his advances.

"Have you ever been to a Beltane festival?" he asked. Sarah shook her head.

"I don't care what those fools in the other kingdoms say; no one throws a Beltane festival like my subjects," he said pride emanating from his face. "The finest Goblin Ale, Elf wine, and fried biscuits guarantee that you only remember the night if you care to."

"When is it?" Sarah asked. Jareth's brows furrowed in concentration.

"Damn. Is it really three days away? Time has slipped away from me. You have proven yourself to be quite the distraction," he said nuzzling her hair.

"How did you forget?" she asked playfully batting his face from her hair. "Don't you have to plan the thing?"

"Is my title Jareth, King of Party Planning?" he laughed. "Others do the planning. I just open the celebrations and join in on the festivities. I might enjoy the ale a bit too much, or at least that's what Avitus tells me the next day. There's always a giant maypole that everyone dances around."

"Do you participate in the dance?"

Jareth snorted. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to," he answered. Sarah released a sigh filled with disappointment and frustration.

"How about we come to an agreement? Have a dance with me at Beltane, and I'll join it," he offered.

"Okay, we could do that," Sarah agreed with a smile. Sarah looked over the boulder and noticed the stallion grazing next to Daisy, who looked a bit apprehensive at the subtle attention from the other horse.

She turned her head to look up at Jareth and asked, "What is the name of your horse?"

"Him? That's Lotus," he answered. Sarah gasped, remembering the letter he sent her years ago.

"That's Lotus! Oh, he's so handsome. I've noticed he keeps bothering Daisy and won't leave her alone," Sarah said.

"What you call 'bothering,' some call the subtle art of courting," Jareth said.

"Seems you and your horse have a lot in common," Sarah said as she snuggled into his chest. Before Jareth could respond with a witty retort, her eyes closed. Resting his chin on her head, he allowed her comment to slide and simply enjoyed her presence.

As the hours passed, Jareth held tight to the exiled princess, reluctant to let go. However, the sun was setting, and he was slightly shocked that Sarah still slept.

He knew Sarah must have some sort of inclination about his feelings for her, but, so far, she had done little to show she shared those feelings. The fear of making a huge, irreversible error in their tenuous relationship gripped Jareth and stopped him short from any overt courting. Courting. The word still caused Jareth to laugh mirthlessly. Never in his many years had he ever truly considered the idea that he would partake in such an endeavor. Who he was and his past never allowed him to seriously consider the idea of true love, of having someone by his side, until Sarah. The past held many mistakes. However, the past was in the past.

Today was something different. Today was a new beginning.


	15. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: _Disclaimer: I still own nothing from the Henson Co. or The Labyrinth__

* * *

><p>Chapter 14<p>

_Don't stay in a sad place  
>Where they don't care how you are<br>Everyone says hi_

* * *

><p>The late morning sun was shining down bright on the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. Under a large oak tree sat Sarah, dressed in her t-shirt and jeans, practicing magic. Well, if anyone came by asking what she was doing, she would say practicing her magic, just like Jareth told her to do, which is why the leftover fruit, cheese, and bread from her breakfast whirled around overhead as though a small merry-go-round of fruit was created just for her enjoyment, mostly because it was.<p>

Earlier that morning, Jareth told her to focus on moving objects. Once a fae could move object, she could learn to move herself or others. "It might take you most of the morning to get a small rock to vibrate," Jareth said as he left for his meetings. "However, don't frustrate yourself too much. I do like my castle and would hate if you caused it to fall apart."

Three hours later, Sarah had a small constellation of food swirling around her head. Jareth was right- she was a quick learner, or at least her magic made things easy for her. So, she decided that she might as well take some time to lie back and close her eyes for a bit. Jareth's early morning wakeup call was not agreeing with her.

She took this rare moment of solitude to reflect on the past few days. Regardless of the insanity that was going on around her, the relationship growing between her and Jareth was most surprising. She would never tell him, because he would never let her live it down, but she never felt more at peace than when Jareth snuggled with her on the hill.

"Sarah?" A gruff voice came from behind the tree.

"Hoggle?" Sarah asked as she sat up. Having lost her concentration, the food tumbled down, nearly hitting her.

"Watcha doin' with food flying 'round your head?" he asked as he stood in front of her. She waved her hand in a semi-circle causing the food to gather in a small suspended ball, which landed in a knapsack she held out.

"Jareth wanted me to learn how to move things, and I did," Sarah said with a shrug. "So, now I'm just hanging out, I guess. I doubt he thought I would be able to do so much so quickly. It's the only thing I was told to do."

Hoggle rubbed the sole of his foot into the ground, neglecting to make eye contact with her. "I's keep forgettin' that you's got magic now. Hell, I's forget that you's a princess as well," he murmured. Sarah grabbed Hoggle's hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"Oh, Hoggle, don't be bashful now," she remarked. "Hey, I'm still me. Don't think that I'll be different, and I don't want you to be different around me either. Okay?

Hoggle looked to the side and grumbled under his breath.

Sarah gently shook his arms. "Okay?" She reiterated.

"Allsright," he answered. "It's just weirds that's all." Sarah released Hoggle and handed him a piece of bread.

"Yeah, that's been a theme lately. So, what are you doing here?"

"Workin' of course. I'm a gardener, ya know," Hoggle stated as he sat down next to her.

"Yes I know that. But, why here? I thought you work at the beginning of the Labyrinth."

"I haven't had that post in years. Jareth put me here a while ago. I didn't ask why. Just did as I was told," he said eating his piece of bread.

"Did he- did he put you here after I left?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I's don't want to talk about it. I don't want to know what Jareth would do if I said anything more," Hoggle said shaking his head. Sarah had to resist the urge to persuade him to say more. However, having witnessed Jareth's temper, she understood her friend's trepidation. Especially since Hoggle had never been the bravest among her friends.

"All right. Fine. But what about those?" She asked as she pointed to an ivy covered wrought iron door. "Why is there a door in the middle of a garden?"

"All I know is it is Jareth's and his alone," he said. "He went in there when he wanted, usually daily. Ain't no one allowed in. Don't concern me. So, I don't know."

"Now I want to know what's in there," Sarah said walking toward the door. Hoggle hopped up and ran after her as fast as his short legs could carry him.

"Oh, nos you don't. You gonna get us both into trouble," he said.

"What does he have in there? Dead bodies? I doubt there is anything in there that is worth all your worry," Sarah said as she stood in front of the door.

"Gar! You can't get in anyway. He has a barrier up. Just like he does everywhere else in this place," Hoggle said. "So, you's might as well go back to your magic practice."

"No. I don't think so," Sarah said in a trance-like state. She placed her palm up to the door's façade feeling for the barrier. The barrier shined a bright red. The latch unlocked, and the door swung open.

She stepped through the entryway. Although it was nearly midday, the secret garden was dark, as if it were twilight. "Cool," Sarah said.

"Gah! Sarah, Come back here. You ain't supposes to be in there," Hoggle yelled. He stayed back at the door's threshold, not daring to go in.

"If I'm not allowed to be in here, then, how am I able to get in?" Sarah asked walking further into the garden. Hoggle shuffled in behind Sarah. He was taken aback by how beautiful the place was considering Jareth was the only one that tended to the garden.

"That ain't the point. It's his garden, and we ain't suppos' to be in here," Hoggle grumbled.

"Purple irises everywhere; they're my favorite," she mumbled mostly to herself. Looking closer, she noticed a few other flowers intermingled with the irises. "Jareth doesn't seem like the flower type," Sarah noted.

Hoggle let out a derisive snort. "Well, he ain't. The only things he cares about here is his castle, throne, and wardrobe. He don't care about no flowers."

"Then why are there so many here? Yellow primroses, red tulips, white daffodils, purple hyacinths—all of these are very specific. Hm…" she muttered.

"They's just flowers, Sarah," Hoggle said, tugging on the hem of her shirt. "That's all that's here. Flowers."

Sarah kneeled on the rock path to take a closer look at the blooms. "All flowers have a meaning. I was given a type of encyclopedia on them years ago. With hyacinths, it depends on the color of the flower. Purple hyacinth means 'sorrow', no… 'sorry'. It means 'I'm sorry'. Yeah, that's it, and the daffodils mean 'unrequited love.' Karen never planted those. She said it was bad luck for Toby and me. She was always weird about those things," Sarah revealed.

Thinking he saw something, Hoggle looked back toward the door. Nothing was there, but that did not help his anxiety.

"Can we talk about this outside?"Hoggle said, shuffling his feet back and forth.

"Red tulips are a declaration of love," Sarah said, ignoring Hoggle's concern. "A boy in my senior year chemistry class gave me a bouquet of these once. He thought he was clever for knowing the meaning behind them, and primroses—I don't think I remember what these mean. Damn it."

"I'm sure you can find the answer in the library. In fact, I'll take you there right now," Hoggle said as he grabbed a hold of Sarah's hand.

Sarah had enough of Hoggle's not so subtle persuasion. "Then you go, Hoggle."

"Yes, Hogsqueal, leave," came the unnaturally calm voice behind them. Standing at the entry was Jareth, dressed in all black, his pendant shining a light into the small garden. Leaning against the ivy covered door with arms crossed, Jareth's face was stoic and too tranquil for the likes of Hoggle.

"Um, Your Majesty," Hoggle began, wringing his hands to rid himself of his nerves. "We didn't mean to intrude. We's just leaving."

Jareth walked into the garden, still emotionless. He stopped in front of Hoggle and said, "No, Hornsby. You were just leaving. Make sure to shut the door behind you."

Hoggle gave Sarah an apprehensive look. She, on the other hand, looked at Jareth with roughly the same amount of anxiety that Hoggle felt.

Jareth turned to Sarah. "Now, Hogbrain," he commanded. Hoggle ran out of the garden as fast as his stubbly legs could take him; the door slammed closed behind him.

He walked around Sarah toward the bench surrounded by primroses. "And how exactly did you manage to get in here? Let me guess. That blasted magic of yours also acts as some sort of skeleton key, yes? Brilliant. Just bloody brilliant," he muttered. As he sat on the bench, he conjured two full white small sacks. He placed one sack next to him and the other on his lap.

"I didn't try to pick a lock or anything. I just placed my hand on the door, just like the barrier to our corridor. I didn't mean to upset you by coming in here. It was just too lovely of a place to leave once I saw it," she said as she slowly backed away. "I'll just go."

"Sit down, Sarah," he instructed. "I brought us lunch." Jareth refused to look at her; instead, he gazed at the water fountain. Sarah sat down next to him as she peaked into the sack: a sandwich on crusty bread and several pieces of fruit.

"Thanks for lunch," Sarah said and began to eat. Silence greeted her as Jareth continued to stare at the tumbling water while they ate lunch. After several minutes of silence, Sarah decided that the stillness in the air was too much to bear.

"So, are you just going to not talk to me, and pretend that you're not mad, or should I brace myself for the rant of the century?" she inquired. Again, nothing from Jareth. Nothing but silence.

Sarah turned to him and said, "Jareth…"

"Red tulips from a school sweetheart. How sweet," he sneered.

Sarah turned toward Jareth. "You heard that? Did you hear everything I said?" He gave a curt nod, still staring ahead.

"Yeah. My school allowed students to buy each other flowers for Valentine's Day. He bought me three tulips—said it was all he could afford," Sarah mused with a small smile on her face.

"I like my food. Please, try not to make me throw it up," Jareth said.

"Oh, come on. It's just silly kid stuff. You can't possibly sit there and act like you didn't participate in meaningless stuff with girls when you were younger," Sarah said.

Still, Jareth said nothing.

"So, was I right about the flower meanings?" she asked. Jareth stood up from the bench, letting his food fall from his lap to the floor. He paced in front of Sarah with his hands clasped behind his back. Several minutes of this put Sarah on edge.

"Jareth…" she whispered. He halted his pacing and pulled her off the bench and into his arms. His gloved hands held her face; he stared into her eyes as though contemplating a mystery to be solved.

"How about you never bring up past suitors?" Jareth intoned.

Sarah removed his hands from her face. "He wasn't a suitor. He—nevermind. But, what about the flowers?"

"We're going Aboveground in ten minutes. Be ready," Jareth said as he walked toward the door. Sarah ran after him, not allowing him to disappear in the middle of the conversation.

"Jareth, stop. Stop shutting me down every time I ask a simple question," she said.

Jareth halted his steps and turned back toward Sarah. Out under the sun, Sarah found his hair halo-like, illuminating his harsh features.

"Nine minutes. Meet me in the throne room when you are ready," he said then disappeared before her eyes.

"Ugh. That asshole," Sarah complained. His constant dodging of her questions irked her. As she walked back toward her chambers, she attempted to clear her head of their pseudo-conversation. She would get her answers one day; even if she had to tie him down to figure them out.

For now, however, she walked through her chamber to grab her bag, readying herself for her return back to the Aboveground. Earlier that morning, she created a few magic-less red crystals as presents for her family. Sarah never could visit them without bringing gifts. Even if the crystals had no magical potential, she didn't know when she would be able to make it back, and she wanted to give them something to remember her by.

Opening her chamber door to leave, Sarah was greeted by Darcy, whose hand was positioned to knock on the door.

"Looks like I beat you to the punch," Sarah said.

"Punch?" Darcy asked as she looked into the chambers. "Where is thepunch, and why would you beat it?"

Sarah shut the door behind her and followed Darcy down the hall. "No. I mean, forget it. I assume you are here to escort me to the throne room," Sarah posited.

"Not so much escort you as I was told to hurry you up," Darcy explained.

"I'm not even late. I have like four minutes left. Impatient fae," Sarah grumbled.

"Heh, ain't that the truth. Anyway, he's been called worse," Darcy shrugged.

"How have you been, Darcy? I haven't seen you in a while," Sarah asked. Darcy came to a stop beside Sarah and gave her a confused look.

"I, um, I'm fine," Darcy said as she started walking down the hall.

"Why the hesitancy? Did I offend you?" Sarah inquired.

"My job is to clean up and make things nice. I'm not meant to be seen," Darcy explained.

"Is that what Jareth requires of you?"

"It's what I require of myself. As long as my job is done properly, His Majesty don't care what happens," Darcy explained. "Excuse my terseness. I just not use to how you's so proper. Makes me a bit uncomfortable, that's all."

Sarah nodded her head in understanding. "I'm guessing that's a goblin thing."

"Goblins ain't Fae. Can't expect us to act like you," Darcy clarified.

"I assume that's why Jareth lets the goblins do as they please," Sarah questioned.

"He don't let us get away with anything. He is king, but you can't stick scales on a chicken and call it a lizard. Thinks it as an organized chaos," Darcy said.

"That oddly makes sense," Sarah said.

The two of them stood before a set of large wooden doors. "And this is where I leave you," Darcy said as she walked away.

"Thank you!" Sarah called out. Darcy waved a dismissive hand in the air much to Sarah's amusement.

Opening the door to the throne room, Sarah anticipated the goblin chaos to be in full swing, half expecting an egg to go flying by her head. Instead, she found a shockingly clean throne room devoid of everyone except the Goblin King sitting in his throne, staring out the window in a state of contemplation.

Sarah cleared her throat. "Ready," she said still standing by the opened doors.

"Going dressed like that?" he asked as he jumped from his throne, making his way to the middle of the room.

"What do you mean 'like that'? These are my Aboveground clothes. I would freak them out dressed any other way," Sarah explained as she walked to meet him. "You on the other hand."

"Something wrong with the way I'm dressed?" Jareth asked.

"Uh, yeah. How often do you go Above? You know how people dress up there; no one dresses like you," she said. Jareth started to open his mouth to object when Sarah cut him off.

"No one who walks around in suburbia dresses like you. Now, random club goers who are on acid, maybe," Sarah joked.

"Find this as an improvement?" Jareth snapped his fingers. His all black attire was replaced by tight, dark blue jeans and a white V-neck shirt that displayed his pendant. He refused to forgo his black boots. The tennis shoes that humans wore always confused Jareth. So much money spent on abhorrent footwear.

Sarah gave Jareth a thorough overview of his new outfit. "Nice," she breathed. "But your hair is—"

"No. You are not allowed to mess with my hair. Your family is just going to have to deal with this majestic mane," he said with a wide smile. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Oh God, do you ever run out of compliments to give yourself?"

"Of course not. How could I? Have you seen me?" he asked in a mock whisper.

"You have no shame. Let's go," she said. Jareth grabbed her by her left upper arm and held her close against his chest.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You have to be near me in order for me to transport us both there," he said.

Sarah gave him a wary stare. "I never had to be this close to anyone when I moved between worlds before," she said.

"Don't pretend as though you don't enjoy it, Precious," he said as he conjured a crystal. He threw the orb into the air and the world around her became unfocused. Clutching Jareth's shirt in her hands, Sarah closed her eyes to stop the Monet-esque scenery from flashing before her eyes.

"As much as I hate to say this, you need to let go of me. Can't walk to your house in this position," Jareth said. Sarah released Jareth and backed up a few paces. She looked around to see that she was standing on the sidewalk a few houses down from her parent's house with Jareth by her side.

"What are you going to tell them?" Jareth wondered aloud while they walked toward the house.

"The truth. They deserve it, and I have nothing else to say that would explain my disappearance," she said. "Or your hair."

"Must you continue to bring this up?" Jareth said.

"Well yeah. Nice to see you get riled up about something so trivial," Sarah said.

"I'm pleased to hear that you find my hair so meaningless," Jareth said.

"Now, you are just putting words in my mouth. I meant the fact that you get worked up about your hair is trivial- the emotion behind it. I find it funny. That's all. No reason to feel offended," Sarah clarified.

As they came to the front steps of the house, Jareth started to climb up toward the front door, but Sarah stayed back.

"This is your human family, not mine. Are you coming?" Jareth asked. Sarah made her way to the top of the stair and to the front door.

"Sorry, just nervous, I guess," she said as she rang the doorbell. Noises that sounded like distant yelling and running down the stairs filled the quiet air. Jareth stood behind and to the side of Sarah, not wanting to be intrusive. The door swung open, and a pre-teen boy with sandy, blond hair and large, blue eyes stood before her. Sarah's face beamed with excitement. Before she could say anything, the boy turned his head back inside the house with a faint look of disgust on his face.

"Mom! You promised I wasn't going to have any more babysitters. I'm too old for this," he whined. Sarah's excitement turned to confusion.

"I didn't call for a babysitter; we are not even going anywhere tonight," said a blond, middle aged woman as she made her way to the front door. "Hello, I don't believe we've met."

Sarah just stood there, anxiety and fear spreading throughout her body rendering her immobile and speechless.

"Um, young lady, are you okay?" said the woman.

"Ah, I'm sorry," said Jareth as he moved into view. "The trip here was long and arduous. My wife here must be exhausted, lost all her manners." He faux laughed trying to encourage Sarah to join in.

"Oh! Did you just buy that house down the street? I'm so happy for you. That house was too nice to just be left on the market like that," she said. "Oh, now, where are my manners? I'm Karen. Karen Williams. And this is Toby," she said giving her son a squeeze on the shoulders.

"Pleasure is ours," Jareth said as he extended a welcoming gloved hand. "My name is Jareth. Jareth Koning, and my lovely wife Sarah."

"Pleasure to meet you, Karen, Toby," Sarah mumbled. "Jareth, I think we need to go." She tried to back away, but Jareth kept her in place.

"Sarah, let's not be rude," Jareth whispered. All Sarah could muster was a nervous, low chuckle.

"That's a different accent you have there. Must have been some traveling you did. You look as white as a sheet, Mrs. Koning," Karen observed as she grabbed Sarah by the hand and gave it a friendly pat. "Come inside. I can make some coffee, and we have pie."

"We always have pie," grumbled Toby as he walked back inside the house. "Why can't we have cake or ice cream," he yelled from another part of the house.

"Ignore him. Kids these days, am I right? My husband, Richard, should be home in a few minutes. I'm sure he would love to meet you both. People don't move out here too often."

Jareth's arm circled Sarah's waist; her right hand clutched tight to the fabric on his back. He was the only thing keeping her from falling on the ground.

"You're invite is much appreciated, but as you can see, we are both exhausted. We'll be sure to come by another time," Jareth said.

"Of course. I understand. Feel free to stop by anytime. I'd love to get know you two better. And you, Mrs. Koning, please get some rest. Moving doesn't work well with illness," Karen said.

"Yeah, I will. Thank you for your concern," Sarah said. She released Jareth's shirt and walked down the steps in a trance.

"Make sure she gets her rest. She seems like a stubborn one," Karen whispered to Jareth.

"You, Madame, have no idea. You honestly have no idea," he said with a sigh. "Until next time."

"See you later, Mr. Koning," Karen waved as she shut the door.

By the time Jareth made his way to the bottom of the steps, Sarah had nearly made it to the area where they arrived. He ran after her.

"Sarah, Sarah, stop! Speak to me," he said once he caught up with her. Sarah rounded on him. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was red and swollen. Water pooled in her eyes.

"Why," she choked out. "Why don't they remember me? They thought I was a babysitter?" She raked her hands through her hair as though the answer was hidden within her locks.

"Precious, if I knew…"

"Shut up, Jareth! Of course, you knew. You know everything, right?" she sneered. "Or have heard stories about things. Tell me: did you know this would happen? That they would forget me?"

Jareth placed his hands on his hips and lowered his head. "I didn't know—"

"But you knew it was a possibility, right?" Sarah asked. Jareth did not answer back.

Tears streamed down her face. "Tell me!" she demanded.

"Yes, I knew it was probable that they would have not remembered you. I didn't see any reason to let you know," Jareth confessed.

"Why? Why did you let me think I could still be with them again?" she asked.

"Because they were the only family you had left. You never really had one at the Court. I didn't want to have to tell you that you lost the humans who meant so much to you," he admitted.

"How did they forget?" she asked.

Jareth reached out for her arm. "Sarah, now is not the time."

"No, no," she said as she snatched her body away. "No more delay tactics. How did they forget?"

"I already told you that I don't know how the Seers did what they did, but I always assumed that it was based on some sort of changeling magic. Once the changeling is removed, the family who was in charge of its care immediately forgets," he described. "Sarah, you were the changeling."

Her knees dropped to the grass. Tears flowed in a quiet stream down her face. Staring at the house in front of her, Sarah tuned out the world around her; she could not do it anymore. This was one more lie heaped on the many meant to manipulate her for reasons she still did not understand. She was always meant to be a pawn in these silly fae games.

"We need to go back," Jareth said. He looked around checking that their odd behavior had not caught any human attention.

"I'm not going back," Sarah said in a monotone voice.

"Don't be childish," Jareth scoffed. Sarah's head darted up; she glared at Jareth. She jumped to her feet and gave him a violent push

"Don't be _childish_? How dare you say that to me? I have lost everything and everyone. Why go back? The Underground has taken away everything I love. I have nothing left," she said. Jareth's face was disheartened and dejected. Sarah's words crushed him leaving him feeling the same as he had those many years ago. Normally, she would have felt awful for having said such a thing and causing so much pain, but this was not normal, and she did not care anymore.

"Don't give me that look," Sarah snapped.

Jareth masked his emotions choosing a look of haughty indifference. "What look?"

"Don't make this about you, Jareth. Don't you dare," she warned with tears racing down her cheeks.

"And here I thought we friends," he mocked.

"Friends? Friends? You want to talk about being friends? Friends know each other's birthday so they can wish them a happy one when the time comes around. Friends talk about each other's families so they can joke about how annoying they are. Friends are able to explain those stupid peaches," Sarah cried. "Friends explain why they wear gloves all the time. Friends explain why there's a giant maze around their home. Friends explain why they are able to make clear crystals when no one else can. Friends explain where the hell they come from; you don't tell me anything of real importance, Jareth. If we were friends, you wouldn't keep pushing me away like a plague. Why does everything have to be a secret including you!"

Sarah's chest heaved from the adrenaline as she tried to catch her eyes were now bright, bright red with all remnants of green. She didn't notice that the clouds were growing increasingly dark, and gusts of wind were blowing through the trees.

"You've lost control of your magic, Sarah. You're going to lay waste to this entire town if we don't go," he said calmly as though he hadn't heard a word she said.

"Why won't you answer me?" she said quietly, trying not to sob and not having the strength to yell anymore.

Jareth's eyes softened as he grasped her by her shoulders to face him. He knew that Sarah was angry at the world, and he thought she had every right to be. He's delayed in explaining this to her for too long. Jareth believed that he was protecting her by glossing over certain aspects of his life, but she deserved to know the truth, at least all that he knew.

"The peach…while you were in the Labyrinth… it was my last chance…"

"Last chance for what?" she whispered, still unaware of the brewing tempest that she was causing.

"Come back with me to the castle, and I will tell you anything you wish to know," he said. She nodded in agreement, and Jareth transported them away. The near-gale storm ended as rapidly as it began leaving the small New York town sunny and bright.

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><p><strong>AN: I don't know how many people saw this coming, but for those who didn't... please don't throw things. **


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: First, thank you for not throwing things**

**Second, this is a long-ish chapter. I suggest getting a snack and snuggling with a pillow.**

**Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! **

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><p>Chapter 15<p>

_But the memory remains_

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><p>Jareth and Sarah materialized in a drawing room in the castle. Realizing they had arrived, Sarah shoved Jareth off of her and sat on the large couch resting against the window.<p>

"All right, now talk," she demanded as she crossed her legs trying to find comfort in a difficult situation. Jareth walked to the corner of the room where a drink cart waited for him.

Grabbing two glasses, he asked, "Ice or no ice?"

"Huh?"

Jareth displayed to her a crystal decanter, which held an amber liquid.

"Oh, ice, please," Sarah said.

He poured drinks and walked over to the couch handing Sarah a glass. Jareth took a swill of his drink and downed it in two gulps. He refilled his glass and proceeded to drink the contents.

As he poured his third drink, Sarah realized that she had yet to drink any of hers.

"Are you going say anything, or are you going to get drunk?" Sarah asked.

Jareth downed the third glass and gave a lopsided smile. "And why can't I do both?"

Sarah let out a heavy breath and moved over to make room on the couch.

"Sit, Jareth. You're delaying the inevitable. Just talk to me," Sarah said. Jareth walked over to the couch and sat opposite Sarah.

"And where exactly should I start?" he asked.

"I've always heard the beginning is a good place to start," Sarah said.

"Clever," Jareth said.

"Don't give me too much credit," Sarah said. "I got it from a musical."

"So you want to start at the beginning, hm? Well, nearly ten thousand years ago—" he began.

"You're starting ten thousand years ago?" Sarah interrupted.

"Do you want me to tell the story or not?" Jareth said. Sarah mouthed "oops" to him as she sipped her beverage, intent on allowing him to tell his story.

"Ten thousand years ago, the Underground was comprised of only two kingdoms: Kingdom of the Faes and the Kingdom of the Unseelie. The Kingdom of the Fae was ruled by Queen Mab, your grandmother. She controlled not just the Fae but also elves, dwarves, centaurs, and pixies. The trolls had yet to revolt against the Unseelie. Cian was King of the Unseelie. He was an…interesting fae."

Jareth studied his drink, considering his words carefully. "Cruel and capricious have been used to describe him. However, Mab was no wilting flower. The only difference between the two was that Cian was at ease with his tainted status, and Mab was better with public relations. Where Cian would openly torment and torture humans, Mab would trap them in unfair deals and allow privileged, yet sadistic, members of her Kingdom to plague humans in the Aboveground. There's a reason why her name raises a variety of responses among humans throughout the ages. Mab was obsessed with her own control over the throne; when the other races of her kingdom revolted and demanded their own kingdoms, she enlisted a sort of… what have humans called it? Ah a secret police. They quelled any and all dissent through various means. Some said the troublemakers were killed on site. Others believed that they were jailed in small iron cages until they went to the Fade. The most popular belief was that the so-called pests were sent to the Aboveground to waste away, since prolonged time away from the Underground kills anyone with magic in a matter of years.

"A few millennia later, surprisingly, Mab grew weary of her life here. Ruling with an iron fist can be exhausting, I presume. Her last act was to give the creatures of her realm what they always wanted: kingdoms of their own. Sort of. Each creature had their own land and a ruler of their own, but they have proven to be nothing more than puppets. I'm sure most of the denizens of these kingdoms are unaware of this situation. Oberon, her son and your father, has the final say in everything. If he wants a lake-sized amount of silver from the Elves by nightfall, he will receive it by nightfall. You see, Sarah, the only reason why Mab allowed for individual kingdoms was she feared Oberon wouldn't have the guile that she possessed. He has the vanity of a king but none of the cleverness required to hold rule for any real length of time.

"During her rule, Mab had no use for the Unseelie. There was an uneasy truce, but it was a truce nonetheless. Whether they caused havoc with humans was none of her concern as long as they stayed off Seelie territory. Oberon uses politics and false panic to hold onto his power. The passive yet uneasy understanding the Seelie had with the Unseelie eroded the minute Oberon took the throne. Every few centuries or so, he causes some distress among the populace, usually using the Unseelie as a scapegoat. Once in a great while, he feels the need to flex his muscles so to speak. Small battles, terrible battles, would break out between the Unseelie and the Seelie Court. Cian had a fearsome collective, but the numbers of Seelie always held out and won in the end. I can only assume that whatever purpose he had for you concerned his need for power and any irrational perceived threat to it. Maybe he wants to put an end to this back and forth with the Unseelie. I don't know. But, I promise you that's all I know."

Jareth waved his hand in the direction of the fireplace, lighting it. He waited several minutes before he continued with Sarah waiting patiently. Telling her the true history of the Underground was not that difficult, but what came next was going to challenging for him.

"You wanted to know about me? I guess I should start with my parents. My father was Faolan." Jareth's mouth curled into a small smile. "He was a nephew of the then reigning king of the newly formed Dwarf kingdom, Seamus. He was given the rank of Duke in that kingdom. Didn't have much use for the title, but every relative of royalty must be given one. He was a tall fae with grey, almost white, hair- even as a child. His eyes were blue of a type; I believe periwinkle would be the best description. It's been said that my father used to complain about his trips Aboveground. Apparently, all the humans would gawk at him; he looked so strange to them. Father served as a High Seer for the Dwarf King. He was loyal to his kingdom but had little use for Court politics. So, he kept a small cottage near the Fae kingdom and Unseelie border that he used when he was not needed at the Dwarf Castle."

Jareth looked to his right, staring out the window. He took a deep breath and a swill of his drink before he continued.

"Iona, my mother, she was… she was a lovely creature," he said wistfully, turning back to the fireplace. "You would have loved her. The two of you could get into a pissing contest about who could cause me the most headaches. My mother was a bit rough around the edges, but that just made her more interesting. She was Unseelie, a dark fae, to be exact. I don't need you going around thinking I'm part selkie or some other ridiculous creature. She was statuesque, however, shorter than my father if my memory is correct. She had long flaxen hair. Her eyes… were black, like all Unseelie. Her long fingernails would be used instead of silverware. She said father complained about her bad manners at the dining table." He smiled at the remembrance of his mother's lack of tact. "Mother was Cian's niece. He had no children, and she was the only child. Cian wanted her to take over the throne after him, but she never wanted it. She may have been Unseelie, but that doesn't mean she always acted as one. She found them all to be bores and didn't care for them. Cian would criticize how she wasn't behaving enough like an Unseelie, whatever that was supposed to mean. She found tormenting humans to be a pointless act. Humans were powerless creatures who frightened easily. How amusing could it be to scare someone who is already fearful of you?

"Although Cian had wished for my mother to rule someday, he never bothered with normal royal protocol. Contrary to popular belief, my uncle kept a tight hold on his kingdom. He never allowed any of his creatures to pass into Seelie territory- dealing with any Seelie wasn't worth the hassle to him. However, since mother found the Unseelie castle abhorrent, she tended to spend much of her time away from kingdom's center, usually near the border. I'll spare you the flowery language she used when she told me how she met my father. I always found the telling insufferable. Let's just say that his striking features wouldn't allow her to stay in Unseelie territory for long once she saw him. The two of them kept their relationship from both Courts. Father stepped down at his position of High Seer, citing stress or some such drivel. Mother bribed a dark fae Seer to have him perform the bonding ritual between her and father. They lived in secret at his cottage for the longest time. I don't know how he discovered their bond, but Cian was not delighted when he found out. He refused the idea that a member of the Seelie Court would one day share the Unseelie throne. To his credit, he didn't disown her completely. But, he warned her that her mate would have to stay off of Unseelie land. Unseelie have a blood-lust for the Seelie, especially fae, and he had better things to do than to ensure that my father was not in danger of being harmed.

"I was born shortly after their bond. Obviously, I was a delightful child. Never gave my mother grief," he beamed. "My brother, Lochlan, however, was, correction, _is_ a foolish fae who found the ability to turn sheep into frogs amusing at an early age."

Sarah let out a small gasp. Jareth arch his brow in question.

"Um, it's just, Lochlan, I met him the day I left the Palace," Sarah explained. "Hmm, I would have probably noticed the similarities if I wasn't starved and scared for my life."

A low growl escaped Jareth's lips. "And what, pray tell, were you doing with him?" he asked through clenched teeth.

His strong reaction startled her. "I must have travelled too far south. I inadvertently stumbled into an Unseelie forest," she said. "I don't know why you are upset with him, but he saved me from several sluagh. He gave me food and pointed me to your castle. He didn't seem too harmful," she shrugged. "I take it the two of you aren't close."

"He's special and has his reasons for everything, but enough of him," he said. "When Lochlan was barely a toddler, someone told the Seelie Court about my parents and where we lived. I still don't know who it was, or why he or she decided to tell, but one day, as father went for a hunt, he was attacked and killed. I found him by the creek near our cottage when mother told me to call him for the midday meal."

Sarah noticed that Jareth's body was tense. He refused to make eye contact, gazing into the roaring fire instead.

"He was nearly unrecognizable. His eyes were gouged out; his torso ripped to shreds. Only his white hair identified him, and even that was matted with blood and dirt. Mother flew into a rage. I'd never seen her like that before. For the first and only time in my life was I truly afraid of her. She took me and my brother to the Seelie Palace, storming the throne room, and accused Oberon of murdering her mate. She had never stepped foot into Seelie territory past our cottage, let alone the Palace, but her anger was unmatched; pillars and stones tumbled around the Palace. She could have brought the whole thing down if she wanted. She nearly did. I remember Oberon's indifference at the melee surrounding him. Oberon feigned innocence claiming he had no idea of what she spoke of. He claimed a draugr killed father, and that the three of us should be happy we were still alive. He spoke complete nonsense, of course. Mother never told him how father died. How would he know to blame a creature known for ripping its victims to shreds without knowing how the victim died?"

"Why? Why would Oberon do that?" she asked in a small yet pleading tone.

Jareth turned to finally face Sarah. "Oberon, hm? Finally deciding he's not worthy of the title of 'Father'?" he sneered. "He, like many fae, viewed a Seelie-Unseelie bond as an abomination. I assume I should thank him for not having me shredded to pieces as well. Remind me to send him flowers."

"You blame him? But, why kill your father? He was Seelie. Your mother-"

"No one cares about an Unseelie death, not even an Unseelie. But kill a Seelie, a high ranking Seelie in fact, and make that killing look as though it was done by an Unseelie...Well, now you are able to manipulate your denizens into almost anything, even war."

Sarah gawked at Jareth. "The Great War started with the death of your father?"

Jareth gave a slow nod, returning his gaze to the fireplace. "It's amazing what fear can make people do, isn't it? My mother was tempted to kill Oberon where he sat for what he did. However, if she did that, the three of us would be at risk the rest of our lives, hunted for regicide. She left the Palace but gave Oberon a warning to leave her family be. We fled to the Unseelie Castle. Cian was livid that he was used as a scapegoat against his niece. Soon, word spread that the Seelie were raising an army against Cian in retribution for the death of the Dwarf King's nephew. He asked for my mother's help in battle. She refused. She told her uncle she cared for nothing outside the safety of her two sons. We left the castle, amid Cian's objections, and made our way toward the 'Barren Lands'."

"I remember seeing the 'Barren Lands' mapped out in the Palace library. I just didn't think that your kingdom would be here. If it's so barren how does everyone here survive?"

"Lazy cartography, I assume. They noticed the land immediately bordering the Seelie Kingdom as barren and labeled this entire area as such. Too much land in a kingdom allows for more freedom. That can be the only reason Mab never extended her borders, and Oberon is just a lout who sits on the work of others," he said.

"It was mostly unoccupied at the time," he explained. "However, there were few who roamed the lands, mostly goblins, who kept in large packs. A major veil to the Aboveground is located here. They caused havoc everywhere they went- still do, little monsters. However, back then, the havoc they caused was stealing human children and bringing them back to the Underground, usually to eat them."

"Oh my god!" Sarah exclaimed. The corner of Jareth's mouth twitched at Sarah's outcry. Unable to suppress his emotions any longer, he threw his head back and let out a hardy laugh.

She gave him a scowl. "That's supposed to be a joke? That's not funny."

"You should have seen your reaction," Jareth said recovering from his fit of laughter. "No, they don't eat children, never have. Goblins have incredibly sharp teeth. I presumed that's how that little rumor started. They did steal children but not to eat them. Human children are small, and, to goblins, look like playmates. However, once a child was older, he would abandon the goblin hoard. The oldest human settlement is northeast of here. It's been there longer than this kingdom. Nevertheless, like most small creatures, goblins love to annoy the living shit out of everyone around them."

Sarah gave him a large smile. "Speaking from experience, I take it."

"You have no idea," he said grimly as he tossed back his fifth… no, sixth drink. "And they're greedy as well. Grab whatever they see and claim it as theirs. They're basically hoarders. Most fights in the Goblin City are between merchants and potential customers—one accusing the other of stealing. Could drive anyone mad."

"So, how did the Goblin Kingdom happen? Did they just vote you as king?" Sarah inquired; Jareth scoffed.

"Even now, if you asked them what a vote is they would stare at you as though you are have three heads. All you see around you was due to my mother. Somehow, some way, she gained the trust of the goblins and the other creatures roaming these lands. I guess it's not hard to imagine. Goblins were outcasts in the Underground, and anyone who wasn't a goblin was running from something. And who better to lead them than an Unseelie exile. With no one to help them or ensure their safety, their lives were brutish and short. Being an Unseelie, mother was used to the chaos that creatures like goblins cause. Through her magic, mother raised this castle from the ground and placed the Labyrinth around it. Never would anyone or thing be able to easily trespass on the ones she loved again. She guaranteed the goblins in the area safety if they swore fealty. True, they have no idea what the actual word 'fealty' means, but they are oddly loyal creatures. To this day, very few goblins live outside the Goblin City and the Labyrinth."

"Your mother never wanted to rule yet she ended up with a separate kingdom of her own? How ironic and sad," she mused.

"She did whatever it took to keep us alive and safe, as any parent would. She just had peculiar methods about doing things. She soon claimed all the land not yet occupied by either of the Courts. As the Great War waged on, refugees, mostly from the Seelie Court, fled to my mother for shelter. Soon, towns and villages outside the Labyrinth formed for the war weary to live. Cian asked for help from my mother only once. She had no army, only small brigades stationed in these newly formed towns. She said that this war was not hers to fight, that she wanted nothing to do with the thing."

"I understand why Cian wouldn't attack your mother's new kingdom, but why did Oberon not just run her over?" Sarah asked.

"Ah, yes. About that," he said as he got up to pour himself another drink. "Mother started giving the stolen children to the fae in the Seelie Court who couldn't have children of their own, since fae are horrible at breeding their own offspring." Jareth walked back to the couch to sit. "She couldn't stop the goblins from wanting to go Aboveground and causing mischief; I assume it's in their blood to be obnoxious. However, the goblins agreed to take human children only when they were wished away, that way only unwanted children would be taken rather than those who were loved by their family. During one of the first few times that a child was wished away, its guardian screamed and begged for the child to be returned. That's why anyone who wanted the child back would have to run her maze. Mother loved games, and playing them on thoughtless humans was perfect for her and a brilliant way to weed out those who didn't deserve to care for a child. She initially thought to send the children to the human villages, but she heard rumors that Oberon was planning to attack her newly formed kingdom, as though he didn't have enough to worry about with the Great War still waging on. Mother knew that pure isolation would never work- not for long anyway; she would have to make herself and her kingdom useful. She brought the first babe to the Seelie Court opening spring ceremony. Everyone throughout the Underground knew that the niece of the Troll King struggled for centuries for a child, they being one of many fae unable to conceive. She presented the surprised couple with the babe and stated she was willing to give the gift of a child to those who were unable to as long as the Seelie Court abstains from molesting the Goblin Kingdom. Oberon readily agreed, seeing that this would continue to boost his popularity with the war-weary masses. Since then, no Seelie army has ever stepped foot on this Kingdom."

"Please tell me your army isn't those goblins?" Sarah asked.

"I would surely have been killed if that were the case. The goblins are just used to slow down the runner. I have a real army, nearly two million strong. Several barracks are located throughout the kingdom. They consist of mostly humans, fae, and elves. There are few centaurs," he explained. "Dwarves and goblins are too small, and there are no trolls in my kingdom, and pixies are just loathsome creatures; I wish they'd leave."

"And your brother?"

Jareth's head quickly turned to glare at Sarah. "What about him?" he said tersely.

"Why is he King of the Unseelie?"

"Lochlan has a deep love for my mother yet an immense hatred of her legacy. Her brokering a treaty with Oberon, the fae we both believed order our father killed, causes him anger to this day. When he finally became of age, he told mother that he wanted to take the Unseelie throne after Cian. She was saddened that my brother would choose a side in what she believed was a never ending tug-of-war yet allowed him to make his choices. He left shortly after his thirteenth birthday to help fight in the War alongside my uncle. I stayed with mother, helping in the kingdom and readying myself to take her place. A few years later, mother…" Jareth's voice began to strain. "She became tired. In fairness, she was always tired. I saw it in her eyes ever since father died. She did all she could to guarantee we were okay. It appeared that, as soon as she knew we could make it on our own, she made the decision to go into the Fade. She left a few months after my eighty-seventh birthday."

"So the clear crystals you make: that's because you share a Seelie and Unseelie magical background?" Sarah asked; Jareth gave a nod.

"But your brother has a purple crystal?"

"He chose to become a fully dark fae, rescinding his Seelie magic. I heard that's a painful process. That's why his eyes are black, and his nails always extended," he explained.

Sarah stared at Jareth's gloved hands. She reached over and grasped his left hand with hers. Sarah felt his hand tense, but he did not move away. She slowly removed the glove. She lightly caressed his palm. His hand was pale with long, yet muscular fingers. His nails were short and cut to the bed.

"Sarah," Jareth breathed.

His face contorted into one of a silent, pleading sadness. Her thumb moved over one of his knuckles where she gently pushed down; sharp nails extended out, nearly an inch, into a point. She looked up to see his intense glare on her then back down to his finger nails.

"This is why you wear gloves, to hide your nails?"

"I can't always control them. How would you feel if you saw these every day? Those who don't gawk in fear would scream in terror." Jareth stretched out his hand, allowing all five nails to extend out. She traced the pointed outline of his nails with the pad of her fingers.

"They're not so bad," she said. Sarah lifted his hand and placed a soft kiss on his fingers. As she traced over his nails, something Jareth said earlier raised her interest.

"How…" Sarah hesitated. "How old are you?"

Jareth withdrew his hand and stared into his glass as though contemplating the answer.

"Two thousand two hundred and thirty seven in three months. Are you going to make me a cake?"

Sarah stared at him, trying to make her now gaping mouth close.

"Surprised by my age, or my ability to remember it accurately?" Jareth asked slowly, his words starting to become a bit slurred. This new development didn't stop him going to the drink cart to pour himself another glass.

"Uh, both actually. You've been here, in this castle, for over two millennia?"

"And where else am I to live?" he said as he pour another drink.

"Have you been alone for over two thousand years?"

"Are you blind to all the goblins running around? Can't go ten feet without nearly tripping over them," Jareth said.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it. Your mother's been gone for a very long time. You've never married, have you?"

Jareth leaned against the wall near the drink cart, staring straight at her. He let out a low chuckle, clearly amused by Sarah's question, which confounded her.

"I know it may sound ridiculous to you, sweet naïve Sarah, but not many females are willing to wear the moniker of Goblin Queen." Jareth emptied his glass in one gulp and immediately filled it again. Sarah became slightly concerned with his alcohol intake. He was clearly proving that he was not human.

"Are you kidding? The Court is filled with blood sucking harpies who would do anything to have 'Queen' in front of their name."

"I've been around those faes, and you really should apologize for your slanderous words against harpies. What have they ever done to you? And make sure you watch out for their talons. Nasty sharp things, they are." Jareth grabbed a full bottle off the cart and walked over the couch to sit. Sarah raised a questioning brow.

"Thirsty?" Sarah joked.

"I'm tired of walking. Much better to stay seated while drinking," he explained.

"Your words are being to sound slurred," she pointed out.

"Good. I'm finally getting my desired effects."

"You don't want to speak to me?" she asked almost offended.

"I'm speaking of events that I haven't spoken of in over two millennia. I believe I'm allowed to drink my way through this."

"Sure. I understand," she said standing only to have Jareth's reach out and push her back down. She thanked the gods for the cushioning on the couch. He glared at her confused frown.

"Just because it causes me discomfort, doesn't mean these stories shouldn't be said, that you shouldn't be told them," he explained. "I owe you explanations. Now ask your questions."

"I don't know if I want to ask anymore. I wouldn't want you to get alcohol poisoning," she said.

Jareth scoffed. "I don't have many talents, but one of the few that I do have is this." He held up his glass. "I should have had Goblin Ale put in here. Remind me to have Avitus to do that later."

Sarah let out a small laugh that she covered with her hand and shook her head. _As long as he's not going to pass out on me, I guess he's fine._

"So why wouldn't one of those lovely fae from the Court want to marry you? We've both established that they'll jump on anything with a title in front of his name. You may not want to marry them, but that doesn't mean they think that of you."

"Because, Sarah, even they have enough self-respect to not marry an abomination," he said matter of factly. The casual tone of Jareth's explanation caught her off guard. It was almost as though he actually believed that insult.

"Why would you say that about yourself?" she asked in a worrying tone.

Jareth held his ungloved hand up and, again, extended his nails out in answer to her question.

"So you're different. Doesn't mean you should be alone. Are you telling me no one will go near your? That you're some sort of eunuch?"

Jareth let out a snort. "Do I look like a eunuch?"

"You look drunk," Sarah countered.

He shrugged. "Fair enough. As for your question: women will come near—for a price. Most of them like gold, but others select opals," he said.

"You… you use prostitutes?" Sarah tried to keep her voice level, not wanting to sound as though she was passing judgment.

"Watch your tongue, Sarah," he said. "They prefer to be called courtesans."

A long silence stretched between the two of them with Sarah unable to find the right words.

Jareth let out a long sigh. His ungloved hand rubbed his face in exasperation. His head fell back to rest on the back of the couch. "I've finally found a way to repulse you. Although, I can't really blame you; nothing is more appalling than a king forced to pay for pleasure."

"Stop saying that. You don't repulse me; you never have," she whispered.

"Then why the silence?"

"I don't know what to say that wouldn't sound like pity," she admitted. Jareth looked at Sarah, wanting her to continue.

"Over two thousand years, Jareth. That's how long you've been without any real family. Everyone outside your kingdom looks down on you, and that's bullshit. Your mother established a self- sustaining kingdom, and you kept it going. You provide countless people with children; you don't have to give them to the Seelie. Your kingdom can fully defend itself, yet you have actively kept peace within your borders. You don't have to put up with Oberon's crap, yet you do." Sarah placed her drink on the table in front of her. She grabbed Jareth's face. "You're a good king, Jareth. A good fae. Even if you are drunk out of your mind right now," she said having received a whiff of him. He might as well have bathed in the booze.

Jareth slowly rubbed his face against her hands. "Do you truly believe me to be good?" he asked in a low tone.

"Yes," she said confused by his actions. Jareth pounced on Sarah, pinning her between him and the couch. He restrained her wrists on either side of her head. He was the fastest drunk she had ever encountered. Maybe he wasn't as drunk as she thought.

"But good is so boring," he drawled as he traced her neck and shoulders with languid kisses.

"You're so smashed," Sarah laughed.

"I'm not that drunk, and rest assured, Precious. Everything still works." He punctuated his statement by pressing his hips against hers. A small gasp escaped her as she felt his arousal.

"You're terrible," she laughed. "You have no shame."

Jareth kissed his way to her chest. "I'm terribly good as you are about to find out." Sarah freed one of her wrist and grabbed him by his hair to pull him back to her face.

"You have a habit of pulling my hair. I shall punish you for assaulting the crown," Jareth muttered as he tried to lower his head again, but Sarah's grip held him in place above her.

"Release me, wench. I wish to kiss you," he growled.

"Jareth, you're too drunk," Sarah reasoned as she released his hair. "You wouldn't remember anything anyways."

"Don't doubt my memory, Precious." He captured her lips in a passionate kiss. "And, I always remember our encounters, even the painful ones."

Sarah needed to find a way to distract him from his carnal pursuits. "Your favorite color?" Sarah asked suddenly.

"What?" Jareth blinked, surprise breaking through the haze of alcohol.

"You never told me. What's your favorite color?"

He kissed her ear and whispered, "Grey."

"Why the Labyrinth?" Sarah asked.

Jareth returned to his new favorite activity: kissing Sarah's neck. "I already told you, my mother—"

"No, I meant the book," she clarified, gently pushing against him.

A sighed escaped his lips. "And I almost got away with not explaining that."

Jareth sat up and helped Sarah up as well. She still had questions that needed to be answered, and besides, she'd made out with drunken guys before- those were never fun experiences for her.

"It wasn't planned, giving you the book; I was desperate," he said.

"What? Why?" Sarah asked.

"Because the only thing I truly cared about was leaving, and I had no reassurances that you would ever come back to me!" he shouted, pain emanating from his eyes.

Unable to look him in the face Sarah studied her hands where they lay in her lap. She knew how difficult this was for him, but she had to know everything.

"It showed that you took children. I didn't know that," she said. "Before I left, I knew nothing about your duties. Yet it showed up. How did it show up in the book?"

"The book was enchanted with my magic. It portrayed me as the Goblin King, full regalia and all. That book was the only thing that I could think of in that brief moment to bring you back," he said. "Of course, you had to be a moody human teenager, casting me as the villain. As though I didn't have enough hurdles to go through."

"But I didn't remember you, and I wouldn't have—"

"As I said, the book wasn't planned. Part of me hoped that you would remember the moment you came back to the Underground. That obviously didn't occur. You were supposed to lose, everyone loses. Once you lost, I would have thought of some way to get your memories back. Having you near me was all that mattered. That was the purpose of the peach. I was hoping if you forgot about the child, if I could tell you what was really happening, maybe you would remember. I became distracted and ran out of time. Clearly, I failed. All I managed to do was to cause you to abhor me."

"No. No. That's not true. I never hated you. You never repulsed me. You scared the shit out of me. Even after I was returned home, I was afraid. Up until a few days ago, I was still apprehensive, but I never hated you," she explained as she reached for his hand. "Your oddly private garden, that's—"

"A reminder to never fail again. I don't necessarily take my advice, but it gave me something to do with my downtime. The irises are you favorite; I made sure to plant them everywhere," he said with a small smile.

"I remembered what everything meant except for the primroses. What do those mean?" she asked.

Jareth winced a little and regretted telling her that he would answer all her questions.

"You know, you never were supposed to be able to have access to that garden. That damn magic of yours is going to ensure that I never have any secrets," he said stalling.

"What do primroses mean?" she whispered.

"I…I can't live without you." His confession struck a chord within her.

Sarah straddled Jareth's lap and forcefully kissed his lips. Jareth's shock lasted for less than a second before he eagerly responded to her advances. Jareth dropped his other glove on the ground. His bare hands reached around to her back and began fumbling with the bra hooks underneath her shirt.

"Damn these human contrivances," Jareth snarled. Sarah slowly kissed under his chin snaking her way down his neck. She reached behind her and easily unfastened the hooks, pulling the restraining garment off her chest.

"That wasn't so hard," she teased. Jareth grabbed her waist and dropped them both to wooden floor, keeping Sarah on her back.

Jareth snipped at her neck. "Don't taunt me."

He moved his head to kiss her lips, his tongue begging entry into her mouth which she willingly allowed. His hand reached up under Sarah's shirt and began massaging one of her breast. His fingers slowly twisted her erect nipple, causing her to arch her back in response. Sarah reached down between their bodies and gently took hold of his shaft through his trousers. Her languorous finger trailed up and down his shaft, ensuring she touched every available inch. He lowered his hips in response. As his hips moved, he let out a low throaty groan in Sarah's mouth, increasing the intensity of their kiss. Jareth cursed the concept of trousers, wanting nothing to come in between him and his Sarah. Just as he was about rip apart both of their clothing, he ceased his movement, going completely still.

"Fuck!" he yelled.

Sarah should have been afraid at his seemingly random outburst, but she just looked up at him in stunned silence. An apologetic Jareth stared down at her face as he brought up a hand and snapped his fingers.

A young male voice filled the air. "This is so stupid! I wish those stupid goblins would take you away right now!"

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Sarah panted trying not to laugh at the absurd situation they both found themselves in. "I guess this means you have to go to work."

"I haven't received a bloody call in a month," he grumbled as he helped Sarah to her feet. "The Fates have conspired against me!"

"Don't be so maudlin. I'll still be here in thirteen hours," she said with a sly smile.

"Maybe, they'll decide not to run. I'll make an enticing offer. And know this: I'll find you," he said in an almost threatening tone as he nipped her bottom lip. "We're going to finish we'll start again and finish and then start again…"

"Okay! Okay!" Sarah pushed him away as she blushed. "Go away. Someone has a maze to run."

As Jareth turned and stalked toward the window, he grumbled, "I shall throw that youth into the dungeon." He then transformed into an owl and flew out the window.

Sarah ran toward the window. "Be nice!" Sarah called out as his form disappeared in the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please don't throw things...again. **

**Next week... well, you'll just have to wait and see what happens. **


	17. Chapter 16

Sorry for the wait everyone. I didn't forget about updating. Actually, I did for a few hours earlier today, but I rectified that.

I guess regardless of the M rating I must give the standard warning: **This chapter contains lemons. Smut. Super fluff. Sexyfuntimes. Call it what you will. It's in this chapter. You've been warned.**

Happy Holidays everyone!

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><p>Chapter 16<p>

_Offer me my deathless death_

Staring at the moonlight shining into her room, Sarah lay on her bed having awakened for roughly the third time since Jareth left. If she had to guess, she believed it was four o'clock in the morning, maybe three. She was never truly good at guessing the time of night. Thoughts of the Goblin King passed through her mind and not just thoughts of his impressive member. She found it amusing how only a few weeks ago she believed Jareth to be her adversary who possibly wanted to harm her. Apparently taking away her brother was his version of asking her out. _He is an odd individual_, she thought as a large smile crossed her face. The fact that he desired her caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach. Only one boy ever gave her flowers, and that was in high school. Sarah remembered that he was the first boy she said she loved. She never had anyone in her life build a garden in her memory. She sat up in her bed quickly.

"Am I falling in love with him?" She whispered to the empty room. "Oh shit." Prior to this night, she'd felt herself growing closer to Jareth. However, she always felt herself running into a wall that wouldn't allow her to fully trust him. Although he had never proven himself untrustworthy, Jareth was doing himself no favors by holding himself from her. But he was no longer an enigma, a mystery to be solved. She now saw him as he truly was: a lonely, misunderstood king who shunned the outside world knowing he would only be rejected.

Sarah climbed out the bed, careful to not trip over the long hem of her nightgown. "Well, at least he has a job," she mused. Dylan was the only employed guy that she'd ever dated. Although she thought he was going to be fired one day; he was a dreadful teacher. Sarah shook her head, trying to rid her thoughts of her recent failed relationship.

Earlier that night when Jareth finally told her everything, it had felt like a breakthrough. Jareth no longer was this puzzle she couldn't figure out. He finally opened himself up to her, and she knew things would no longer be the same between them. Sarah decided that a relationship with Jareth would be different. He was different, and this time she wouldn't foolishly throw away his affections.

Sarah fastened her purple robe at her waist, thankful that at her request for the robe and nightgown was made quickly by the seamstress. Not being able to sleep, she wandered to the throne room. The hallways leading to the throne room were dark except for the sconces alight with fire that helped illuminate her path. As she got closer to her destination, the light from the room felt blinding; loud noises assaulted her ears as she approached the side archway.

"What the hell are they yelling about so early in the morning?" She mumbled. A loud shrieking cry pierced her ears and rose above the normal goblin chaos. As she stumbled into the throne room, her eyes disregarded the goblins around her and focused on the source of the cry: a toddler being held like a football by a medium sized goblin in the middle of the room.

Sarah marched toward the goblin and grabbed the toddler from the stunned goblin's grasp.

"What the hell are you doing?" she exclaimed.

"We takin' care of the babe while King is in the Labyrinth," said a large goblin sitting in the corner drinking what seemed to be beer.

_Really? The sun isn't even up_, she thought.

"Well, that is not how you hold a child," she said to the goblin, which still gazed up at her. Soon, the child calmed down and clutched Sarah's neck, not wanting to let go; the child whimpered softly.

"Yeah, I know," she said to the little girl. "It can't be fun to be held like a ball." The little girl's whimper grew louder, foreshadowing a full-on tantrum. "Hey! Could you guys keep it down?" The room became instantly quiet, which unnerved Sarah a bit. Jareth was right: goblins may be insufferable, but they sure followed orders well.

"Oh, no. Don't cry, sweetie," she pleaded. She kissed the girl on the forehead and bounced her up and down. The toddler couldn't be assuaged and released a loud sob. Sarah hummed a song that she remembered from her Aboveground childhood. It may not be a real memory, but she still found comfort in its words.

"People smile and tell me I'm the lucky one, and we've only just begun," she quietly sang to the still whimpering toddler. As she continued the sobbing slowly began die down. Noticing the music was calming her, Sarah continued, hoping that the little girl would fall asleep.

"And even though we ain't got money, I'm so in love with you, honey. And everything will bring a chain of love."

Jareth reappeared in the throne room and immediately noticed the goblins were not only quiet but staring in the same direction. That is when he heard the sobbing of the toddler and the soft singing coming from the fae in front of him. His heart skipped a beat when he realized that the sweet melody came from Sarah. He knew he should announce his arrival. Taking care of the babe was not her responsibility. Those daft goblins were to keep watch. However, he allowed her to continue, not wanting the moment to end. Jareth never heard her sing before, and he was not going to stop her singing now.

"…And in the morning, when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to my eyes and tell me everything is gonna be alright," she sang as she slowly turned and swayed toward the throne. "Oh, hey," she said, almost forgetting to whisper for fear of waking up the little girl. "I didn't hear you come in."

Jareth took the child from Sarah. "I didn't want to interrupt," he softly said. "Your voice is lovely. I've never heard it before." He snapped his fingers. Within a few seconds, Darcy walked in the side entryway. "Take her," he whispered. "These fools clearly have forgotten how to watch a child."

"Yes, Sire," she said as she took the child away. The throne room erupted with goblin ruckus the moment Darcy left.

Jareth rubbed his face with both gloved hands. "I should have sent her to the nursery when she first arrived."

As Jareth turned to face her, Sarah took in his full appearance. Dressed in all black with a long cape and high neck collar, he was the same regalia that he wore the night she first met him. At least, the night she first met him as a human.

"May I ask what you are staring at?" he asked as his eyes caught her gawking stare.

"I've haven't seen you dressed like that in a very long time," she said wistfully.

Jareth let out a heavy sigh. "Bloody hell. I didn't realize I would upset you." Before Jareth could snap his fingers to change, Sarah stopped him.

"No! I mean, I'm not upset. Just caught off guard, that's all. So, what's the story with the little girl?" she said.

"Her young overseer was watching over her; she lived in an orphanage. The place seemed a bit rundown. Her name is Vera, and apparently, she wouldn't stop crying as you can attest," he explained.

"And he's running now?"

Jareth sat down in his throne, tossing one leg over the side. "Bloody idiot took two hours to get into the Labyrinth. He just kept running up and down the length of it like a headless chicken."

"He's not going to make it, is he?"

"No one ever makes it. Well, almost no one," he said with mock disdain. Jareth gestured for Sarah to approach him. When she came within arms' reach, he grabbed her by the waist, causing her to fall into his lap. "I'm still cross about that by the way," he muttered into her hair. She shivered while he planted soft kisses behind her ear.

"Hey, I already agreed to a rematch," she said.

"Ah, yes. I forgot. I might have to take you up on that soon," he chuckled. He finally noticed Sarah's attire. "Is there a reason why you are wearing night clothes outside your chambers?" Internally, he was cursing that seamstress. Sarah talked to the elf before he could.

"I couldn't sleep. So I decided to check up on you, I guess," she shrugged. "Actually, I couldn't sleep."

"How touching," he joked. "As you can see, I have the best crew of misfits one could hope for."

Suddenly, the main doors to the throne room slammed open. Jareth stood up immediately, placing Sarah in his throne. In hobbled a very disgruntled looking Hoggle with what appeared to be orange and red feathers sticking out of his clothing. Sarah covered her mouth trying in vain to suppress the laughter brought about by such a sight.

"Gah! You deal with that kid. He ain't got no use for no one he keeps sayin.' If that's the case, why's he always tryin' to get himself killed," grumbled the dwarf.

"Having fun, Hedwig?" Jareth said with a smile.

"Three times!" Hoggle stretched out three fingers toward Jareth to emphasize his point. "Three times he attempt to climb them walls. I ain't even gonna feel bad if he falls off a ledge."

"You know the Labyrinth won't kill anyone, unfortunately," he sighed. "We all must keep watch to ensure he doesn't hurt himself."

Sarah walked off the throne dais. "Having a bad day, Hoggle?" she said.

Hoggle looked behind Jareth to see Sarah approaching. "Oh um, hello, Sarah," he said blushing.

Jareth let out a low snarl and pushed Sarah behind him, not allowing her to get closer to the dwarf.

"What's your problem?" Sarah scowled.

"You're not properly dressed," he hissed.

"I'm fully clothed and wearing a robe. Why are you freaking out?" Her eyes squinted at him "Are... are—you're not jealous of Hoggle?"

"It's very late. You should get back to your chambers," he sneered. "I doubt this boy will give up before the full thirteen hours."

"Nice diversion. Fine. I'll see you later," she said as she walked out of the throne room. "Good luck, Hoggle."

Jareth faced Hoggle, whose face was a bright shade red.

"Wipe that look off your face, dwarf," Jareth chided.

* * *

><p>A rough nudge woke Sarah out of her restful slumber. As her eyes opened, a set of yellow eyes peered back at her.<p>

"Ah, you woke up this time," Darcy said as she back away from the bed.

"This time?" Sarah mumbled.

"That's the fourth time I tried to wake you up," Darcy explained.

"What time is it?" Sarah muttered.

"Almost noon. You slept clear past breakfast," Darcy said as she pushed back the window curtains.

Sarah groaned and embedded her face back into the pillows.

"Oh, no you don't. I brought you some food, and it's not going to get cold because you can't get your butt out of bed," Darcy stated.

"Fine. Fine. I'll get up. Is the runner still in the maze?" Sarah asked.

"Nah, he gave up hours ago," she said. "His Majesty has been finding the girl a new family."

"He's going to send her to the Seelie Court?" Sarah inquired as she made her way to her breakfast waiting for her on the table.

"Of course. He's done it for years. Why wouldn't he now?" Darcy said.

Realizing that the goblin probably had no idea about the melee that was occurring in the Seelie Court, Sarah tried to recover. "Oh, I don't know. I just thought he didn't like them. That's all."

"When you're King, you don't always get to deal with those you like," Darcy said. "I'll come back later to retrieve those dishes. I'll be in the servants' corridor if you need me."

Sarah quickly tended to her bathroom needs and dressed in an ankle length white day dress. It was a good thing that the dress was so lovely because fastening those buttons was almost more trouble than its worth. She gathered her breakfast that was left on the small table by the couch and took it to the outdoor table setting. Considering the madness that was now the norm in her life, she found her most peaceful moments had been here in the Goblin Kingdom. Granted, her most frustrating and irritating moments occurred here as well. She now saw those moments as the normal, awkward growing pains of their relationship. Sarah still felt happiest here, even when Jareth was at his worst. She may not be at her home, whether that was the Court or upstate New York, but she had everything she needed here: her friends on one side of her and a tenacious fae king that would never leave her side on the other.

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><p>The early afternoon air was light and the sun was shining in the royal gardens. Having nothing better to do, she decided to take a stroll among the flowers. She had only been in the royal gardens for a few minutes before she stopped in front of a relatively small swath of ivy with blue flowers growing on the castle's side. The ivy wall was odd, she thought, since it was the only part of the castle that had greenery of any kind on it.<p>

"What sort of creature would dare to step foot in my gardens?" a voice said from behind her. Sarah turned from the wall to gaze at Jareth walking toward her.

"After all this time, you're going to kick me out now?" Sarah smiled. Jareth came to a stop, barely a foot in front of her.

Jareth's forehead touched Sarah's as he said, "I would more likely cut off my own arm than to send you away, Precious."

"I heard the runner failed, and the child was sent to the Seelie Court. You didn't go there, did you?"

Jareth scoffed as he slightly backed away. "If I delivered the babe, they truly would know something was wrong. Conway, Avitus' assistant, always goes in my stead," he explained. "Admiring the flowers again, are we?"

Sarah shrugged. "What do you expect? You have such a variety here. Someone might as well appreciate it. I heard you actually don't care for the them."

"My mother loved them, very much out of character for her kind. It seems that the two women in my life care for all this foliage. Seems wise to keep these green buggers around," he said as his gloved fingers traced her collarbone.

"_Green buggers_? Well, it's nice to know one of us has good taste," she said. "Hint: it's not you."

Jareth decided to ignore her comment. There were more important things to attend to.

"Have you forgotten our little lunch date?" he muttered.

Before Sarah could ask what he was referring to, Jareth's lips descended onto hers with enough force to push her against the ivy wall. Her hands reached for his shoulders, latching on. As Jareth pressed her into the wall, she realized the ivy wall was no longer at her back. Pushing hard against his shoulders and putting an end to his kisses, Sarah took in her surroundings. The room looked like her chambers but with more masculine colors. Various greys were present throughout the room.

She raised a suspicious eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I thought you said we're going to have lunch."

"I apologize for the confusion. It seems as though, for now, I'll be the only one eating during this lunch date," he mumbled into her ear. Sarah gasped and gave him a look of mock shock and umbrage.

Jareth rolled his eyes as he took off both the gloves from his hands. "Don't act so virginal, Precious. Or have I missed something?" His high eyebrow rose even higher.

"You said you didn't want to know about my past relationships," she said.

"I don't need details," he growled.

"No, Jareth," she sighed in faux exaggeration. "I'm not untouched." She brought her hand up to her forehead, pretending to faint.

"Good. Virgins are boring," he said as he turned Sarah around to face the door. Her hands came up to keep her body from pressing against the wood.

"I promised I'd find you," he growled out.

"I wasn't hiding,"she whispered.

His deft fingers making quick work of the buttons she worked so hard to fasten.

"All work and no play make Jareth a dull boy," he slowly chanted while he kissed the newly exposed skin and unhooked each button. Sarah's breath quickened as she let out a low chuckle, amused by the king's playfulness.

Jareth clutched her hips as he leisurely kissed her back as he stood to his full height, nuzzling the side of her neck.

"Such a lovely dress," he purred as he pulled down her dress straps. "It would be a shame to ruin it." The dress dropped to her feet; when cool air hit Sarah's skin, she pushed away from the door bringing her arms up to her chest. Jareth snatched her hands away from her body and pushed them against the door again; he leaned his body into hers.

"Ugh. It's cold in here," she complained in idle protest.

"I don't think so," he chided as his hand reached up to caress her breast. "I'm the only one who gets to keep you warm." Sarah melted from the inside out when his left hand continued his languid strokes while he nipped and sucked her neck.

"Jareth," she whispered. He grunted as he pushed her against the door; his right hand ventured down toward her pussy. Sarah pressed her ass against his body in approval. As his fingers dipped into her core, Jareth found her wet and wanting. He turned her around to face him.

She launched herself at him as Jareth pushed her up against the door. Sarah's kiss was hungry and desperate, and he fully reciprocated her advances.

With a groan, Jareth tore away from her mouth and trailed kisses along her jaw. He nipped her neck and tugged at her skin. He reached down and wrapped one hand around the back of her knee and lifted her leg up around his thigh.

He pressed into her harder. Sarah let out a soft moan as her hands slid up his arms and her fingers gripped his shoulders as she lifted her foot off the ground. He shifted slightly and caught her other leg. Her soft body and gentle curves welcomed him as his cock strained against his trousers.

His lips captured hers again. Tongue met tongue. Breath mingled with breath.

Her hands slid up over his head; his fingers flexed around her thighs. She rocked against him, and he shoved himself against her.

Forcing an end to the kiss, Jareth looked into her face, his hips still pumping against her.

She tightened around him and gasped as her lower body bore down on him. She was going to come. He could see it in her face, feel it in the tensing of her muscles.

"Ohh… fuck…" she whispered as he surged up hard. The whisper turned into a whimper as he ground into her.

She gasped loudly as she came, and he strained not go with her. He succeeded but barely as she bucked and shuddered in his arms. This had been the most sensual thing he had done his long life, but luckily for the both of them, there was plenty of time left in the day and more opportunities to top it which he planned to do.

Jareth walked them both to his bed with Sarah still holding tight to him.

"Oh god," she said languorously as she clutched tighter to him. She had yet to fully recover but felt uncomfortably shaken by his sudden movements.

Stopping at the foot of the bed, he said, "Let go, Precious. There's more I want to do that doesn't involve you clutched to me." Jareth almost laughed at himself when he realized he was telling Sarah to stop holding on to him. No worries though. She would be holding onto him again soon enough.

When her hands released their grip on him, he slowly lowered her onto the bed. The part of her brain that was still functioning realized that she was surrounded by large cotton-like coverlet. She was sure that she would find his bed lovely and comfortable later.

She looked over to see Jareth quickly removing his shirt, leaving his pendant, trousers, and boots in place. The amount of time she spent previously touching him didn't prepare her for seeing him without a shirt. He was stronger than he appeared fully clothed. He had broad shoulders but a slim waist. The best description she could think of was that of a swimmer's body. His sinewy physique flexed as he moved back to her. Sarah backed up to the headboard, but Jareth seized her leg, halting any further movement.

"And where do you think you're going?" he purred.

Jareth dropped down on the bed but braced himself as his body hovered over her. She stared up into those beautiful eyes of his. She knew how he kissed and how he could make her feel when he touched her. No one had ever tempted her that much, and her body had reacted to him in ways it never had before.

"Nowhere," she breathed. "I wasn't going anywhere."

"Good girl," he growled. Jareth shifted his weight, lowering down her body. Instead of hovering over her face, he hesitated over her stomach, giving her abdomen a kiss before his gaze moved to her thighs.

"Open up for me," he purred. He licked his lips slowly, and Sarah's body throbbed in response.

She uncrossed her ankles, complying with his demands. His strong hands gripped her hips, gently nudging her into the position he wanted, which was her legs opened, place over his shoulders, and with her heels on his back.

She couldn't miss the feeling of his hot breath fanning over her exposed sex. Another loud purr came from him as his hot tongue swiped her clit. Her fingers clawed the bedding as he started to lick her in rapid, long strokes. Pleasure was instant and intense. Jareth moved his tongue in ways she'd never thought possible while he teased and zoned in on the exact spot that send raw ecstasy cascading through her body. She tensed hard, and her legs would have slammed shut if not for Jareth. He held her down when her hips started to rise from the bed. The climax tore through Sarah brutally, and she cried out. She was surprised by how fast and hard she'd come. Her eyes were closed while she floated down from euphoria and tried to calm her ragged breathing.

Sarah heard Jareth panting louder than her and gasped when his tongue suddenly lowered to the opening of her pussy. He growled and vibrated against her while his tongue breached her body. Her muscles were still twitching and contracting as she realized his hands had slid under her ass, lifting her from the bed a few inches to allow for deeper penetration.

"Oh god," she moaned. His tongue moved inside her, in and out, before it withdrew completely.

She forced her eyes to open and stared in shock as he lifted up until he bent over her. He had a wild look in his amazing eyes, and he nearly lunged for her breast, drew it into his mouth hard and frantically suckled on her. It made her cry out again at the wonderful sensation.

Something thick and hard nudged her pussy. She gasped as his cock started to press into her where his tongue had just been. She must have missed him removing his trousers; clearly she was too busy. He lowered over her, her body pinned flat under him with just enough weight on her to keep her where he wanted. Her muscles stretched to accommodate his size. He entered her slowly, allowing her body to adjust to him, and her fingers grabbed at his head, sliding into his thick tresses from something to hold on to. Pure pleasure gripped her as he sank into her.

A thought quickly raced through her head. "Stop!" she yelled. He froze and his mouth left her breast. Jareth had a wild look in his eyes, the sheer need of his desire marked clearly by the harsh tension of his features.

"Don't make me stop," he said, his voice rough. "I need you." Sarah put her fae strength to use, rolling him. One second she had been under him and the next she straddled his lap.

The bemused fae king looked up at her. "Top ten. Remember?" she said breathlessly.

A devious smile appeared on his face as one of his hands wrapped around her waist, holding her in place. While his other hand slid under her to position his finger to massage her clit. She threw back her head and sank down on him a little more.

Sarah lifted up and the pleasure of him inside her forced a moan from her lips. He was merciless with his fingers as he played with her sensitive bundle of nerves. She moved up and down, taking all of him in. The feeling of being stretched, filled, the sheer bliss of those sensations, shocked her because it was the best experience she ever had. She rode him frantically. Moans tore from her throat as her body seemed to ignite into flames.

The fae under her growled and groaned, heightening her passion. Her body tensed and shook, and she cried out when she climaxed again. Jareth roared as he climaxed with his cock buried deep inside her; his hips shook under her and warm heat spread into her pussy as he kept coming.

She collapsed onto his broad chest; they were both winded.

One of his hands gripped her hip and the other hand moved to caress his fingers up her spine until he gently fisted her hair in his hold at the base of her head. He didn't hurt her but he forced her head up until she had no choice but to meet his gaze.

He smiled at her, showing his sharp teeth as his hand slid from her hip to gently cup her ass. The smile died on his lips as Sarah felt him tense underneath her. She gasped when he rolled them on their sides, and he slowly withdrew from her. He gave her one last passionate look before he kissed her, drawing her into his arms.

Sarah leaned back a little and settled into the pillows. Still in Jareth's arms, she felt herself drifting asleep. She didn't know the reason behind Jareth's odd behavior before he finally kissed her, but in that moment, she felt a rush of emotions: peace, happiness, joy, and…love? Maybe she had finally come to the realization that she more than just cared for Jareth. Now, though, she just wanted to sleep.

As Jareth watched her fall asleep, he slowly traced his finger across her face, catching the stray hairs to tuck them behind her ear. There were many things Jareth wanted from Sarah: her friendship, her companionship, and he wasn't above admitting that he spent many nights thinking about her lying next to him. But what he wanted most from her was her love for him. He was certain that she cared for him, deeply even. But when he looked into her eyes before she fell asleep, all he wanted to tell her was how much he cared for her- how much he loved her. However, Jareth promised himself that he wouldn't put his heart in harm's way again. And when he stared into her eyes, his heart wouldn't allow him to say the words, the words he desired to say to her. He could wait until she was ready, he told himself. Until that day happened, he would continue to savor the relationship they had, hoping for the day when he could truly call Sarah his.


End file.
